Shaw Local

News   •   Sports   •   Obituaries   •   eNewspaper   •   The Scene   •   175 Years
The Herald-News

Cemeno’s opens coffee shop at Joliet’s Inwood Athletic Club

A variety of breakfast bagels, along with coffee and a slice of breakfast pizza, are seen at the recently opened Cup of Joe by Cemeno's, located inside the Inwood Recreation Center at 3000 W. Jefferson St. in Joliet, and near Cemeno's Pizza At the Park, is seen on Sunday, Feb. 15, 2026.

A variety of breakfast bagels, along with coffee and a slice of breakfast pizza, are seen at the recently opened Cup of Joe by Cemeno's, located inside the Inwood Recreation Center at 3000 W. Jefferson St. in Joliet on Sunday, Feb. 15, 2026. (Denise Unland)

By Denise M. Baran-Unland

A new bagel shop recently opened inside the Joliet Park District Inwood Athletic Club.

Cup of Joe by Cemeno’s offers freshly brewed coffee, bakery goods, homemade bagels and cream cheese, breakfast sandwiches, breakfast pizza and smoothies, according to its website.

Cup of Joe by Cemeno’s is named for the Cemeno family patriarch Joe Cemeno. The bagel shop “celebrates the simple joys he cherished—starting the morning with coffee, toast, and heartfelt conversation with loved ones,“ according to the website.

Coffee and a slice of breakfast pizza, are seen at the recently opened Cup of Joe by Cemeno's, located inside the Inwood Recreation Center at 3000 W. Jefferson St. in Joliet, and near Cemeno's Pizza At the Park, is seen on Sunday, Feb. 15, 2026.

Coffee and a slice of breakfast pizza, are seen at the recently opened Cup of Joe by Cemeno's, located inside the Inwood Recreation Center at 3000 W. Jefferson St. in Joliet, and near Cemeno's Pizza At the Park, is seen on Sunday, Feb. 15, 2026. (Denise Unland)

In 2024, the family opened Cemeno’s At The Park, which serves concessions at Memorial Stadium and Inwood Ice Arena and offers weekend breakfast for athletic center patrons.

The Cemeno family has a long restaurant history in Joliet.

In 1976, Joseph and Janice Cemeno opened a small storefront pizza shop on Jefferson Street in Joliet as a non-family franchise of Aurelio’s Pizza.

In 1985, the Cemeno family opened a second Joliet location in Twin Oaks Shopping Center, complete with banquet rooms and a sports bar.

In 1996, the Cemeno family purchased land on Essington Road to build Cemeno’s Pizza, which is still located at 1630 Essington Road in Joliet. In 2002, the Cemeno family “parted ways” with the Aurelio’s franchise, according to the website.

For more information, visit cemenospizza.com.

Cemenos Pizza in Joliet now has a second location. Cemenos at the Park is located at 3000 W. Jefferson St. in Joliet outside the ice rink.

Cemenos Pizza in Joliet now has a second location. Cemenos at the Park is located at 3000 W. Jefferson St. in Joliet outside the ice rink. (Denise Unland)

We welcome news about business developments in our communities. We appreciate hearing about local business comings and goings, new hours, expansions, and milestones in the Joliet area. If you have a tip to share for Eyes on Enterprise, email news@theherald-news.com.

Eyes on EnterpriseJolietWill CountyCoffeeBusinessRestaurantParksRecreationShaw Local Front Headlines
Denise Unland

Denise M. Baran-Unland

Denise M. Baran-Unland is the features editor for The Herald-News in Joliet. She covers a variety of human interest stories. She also writes the long-time weekly tribute feature “An Extraordinary Life about local people who have died. She studied journalism at the College of St. Francis in Joliet, now the University of St. Francis.