By Mary Sisk
Rock River Current
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ROCKFORD — Walking into Pete DuFoe’s new downtown coffee shop is a bit like walking into his childhood bedroom.
The inside of Inzombia Coffee, 306 E. State St., is covered wall to wall with decor that should spark feelings of nostalgia for ’80s kids like DuFoe. Customers are greeted with vintage video games, such as a copy of “Golden Eye” in a Nintendo 64 on a retro pink TV, and an arcade-style “Mortal Kombat II” machine. There’s also a recreation of the purple door from the sitcom “Friends” and a poster of Michael Jordan.
“I just want people to enjoy the nostalgia,” DeFoe said. “It’s going to be like ‘welcome to my bedroom.'”
While the theme reflects his personality, the menu will be dependent on his customers’ tastes.
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DuFoe plans an evolving menu of drinks that are unique to his customers and to his shop.
“I think with a lot of coffee shops, they already have an idea of what they want to do,” DeFoe said. “Me? We’re all going to do it together.”
Inzombia, which blends ‘90s to early 2000s pop culture and personalized drinks, is set to open Friday in the former Uptown Barber Shop space.
“This is what I came from,” said DuFoe, who is 33. “I was an ’88 kid, so you’ll see late ’80s, lot of ’90s, and early 2000s.”
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He originally planned to open his shop in Loves Park, but later found the vacancy in downtown Rockford.
DuFoe has worked in coffee shops for the last five years, but starting his own has been his goal since he was 16.
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The name Inzombia plays off of how exhaustion can make you feel like a zombie or how people might feel like zombies before their morning coffee. He credits the name to his girlfriend who was suffering from insomnia.
While the menu will involve coffee shop basics, such as lattes, cappuccinos and cold brew, everything else in the drink is up to the customer.
“You create what you want to drink, help me make my menu,” DuFoe said.
Know before you go
Address: 306 E. State St., Rockford
Hours: 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday, 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sunday
Additional info: 815-494-2926, Instagram @inzombiacoffee, Facebook @Inzombia Coffee, or email pete.inzombia@gmail.com
This article is by Mary Sisk. Email her at msisk@rockrivercurrent.com or follow her on Instagram at @maryrrcurrent