Hand-drawn hometown collection
A hand-drawn celebration of Arlington Heights, available exclusively at CoCo & Blu.
15 oz ceramic mugMicrowave safeDishwasher safe
Community
Arlington Heights has a lively village spirit, with arts, dining, recreation, and a downtown that gives neighbors plenty of reasons to come together. Metropolis Performing Arts Centre, Arlington Alfresco, and familiar community landmarks make it a place residents are proud to call home and visitors enjoy discovering.
The collaboration
As I was drawing mugs for towns across Northern Illinois, I wanted Arlington Heights to have one of its own. CoCo & Blu seemed like a wonderful local shop to approach, and I knew they had worked with Conscious Cup, another coffee partner I enjoyed collaborating with.
Michael Brown was excited about the idea. I drew the places and pieces of history that make Arlington Heights recognizable, then worked with Michael to add touches from CoCo & Blu, including its logo. It has been so encouraging to see the community respond to the mug and to watch it continue to sell at the café.
I am thankful for Michael and the CoCo & Blu team and for the chance to celebrate Arlington Heights with them. Our work together later continued with a Mount Prospect Mug for their new Coco & Maple location.
The story behind the mug
Inside the illustration
Downtown Arlington Heights’ Metropolis brings live theatre, music, and entertainment to the corner of Campbell Street and Vail Avenue.
Arlington Alfresco turns downtown’s Vail and Campbell streets into an open-air destination for dining and shopping.
Arlington Heights Memorial Library connects residents with books, cultural programs, and opportunities for lifelong learning.
The museum preserves Arlington Heights history, including the former Muller soda-water factory on West Fremont Street.
The downtown Arlington Heights station connects the village to Chicago on Metra’s Union Pacific Northwest Line.
Recreation Park is home to one of the Arlington Heights Park District’s community centers.
Journal · Behind the drawing
How CoCo & Blu helped turn familiar Arlington Heights gathering places into an illustrated mug.
Read the story
