DeKALB – Before the sun even rises on a Friday morning in DeKalb, a single light shines from a floor lamp in the kitchen of the Common Grounds Cafe.
There may not be enough space in the kitchen for a team of chefs, but right now it’s more than enough room for one. All alone is Dale Brown, a graduate student and former NIU football player, preparing cinnamon rolls next to a small oven.
“It’s kind of fulfilling,” Brown said while preparing his first of a few orders that day. “It’s something I like to do, and I get to work my own schedule.