What started as a "lightbulb" moment for Renee Estese-Long has turned into Oak Park's first mobile coffee vendor. 

The idea for the Mojo Express began in 2009, she recalled, during a Fourth of July fireworks display — there were ice cream trucks surrounded by people looking for a treat. That's when it hit her.

"It was too bad the ice cream truck didn't sell hot coffee or hot teas, I thought, and literally, the lightbulb just went off in my head," she said. 

With family and friends, Estese-Long began hashing out the concept of a mobile organic coffee dispensary. Then, she started looking for investors. 

Finding few who were willing, she turned to Accion Chicago for a loan. The international group offers "microfinancing" to those without access to traditional bank loans, either because of they're seeking a relatively small loan or because of a limited credit history. On its website, Accion Chicago claims that businesses they provides loans for create, on average, about 2.6 jobs.

For now, it's just Estese-Long and her wheels, a 2003 PACE bus she purchased with the Accion loan, along with some materials to get it cleaned up and in rolling shape.

After a new coat of paint, some scouring on eBay, several interior modifications and proper permits, Estese-Long was ready to hit the road this past May.

The bus itself remains a work in progress. Ideally, Estese-Long would like the Mojo Express to easily identifiable — and marketable as the very same ice cream truck that caught her attention several summers ago.

“I wanted something that was going to catch your eye, something that was glamorous” she said. “Just something that was unique that's going to [get customers to] say, 'Hmm, I like that bus.'”

As it stands, Estese-Long's labor of love has already piqued its share of interest in the neighborhood, drawing in customers at its most popular locations: The Lake Theatre, the Oak Park Public Library and Oak Park-River Forest High School. She attributes her success to hard work and a product that resonates with her, as well as the many coffee drinkers from the area.

Estese-Long charges $3 for a 16 oz. cup of java, and $4.50 for 24 oz. She uses an organic fair trade blend from Uganda, which gives back a portion of the sales to the farmers who harvest the beans. Also on the menu are hot chocolate, tea, sodas, juice and danishes. Eventually, she hopes to sell vegan foods. 

Jim Doss, executive director of the Oak Park-River Forest Chamber of Commerce, lauded Estese-Long for her idea.

“I think it's very creative," Doss said. "I think there's a strong market here in Oak Park. There are so many festivals and farmers markets and different [events] that she has a chance to do pretty well and be productive.”

Being productive is only part of the plan, however, Estese-Long said. Her real dream is to franchise Mojo Express into a fleet of vehicles which will serve all Oak Park and the nearby suburbs.

"My goal is by three or four years from now, have about 10 or 12 buses," she said. "I want to be in the suburbs where football games are going and in the winter time...and your kids are there in the park and you're freezing, I want to have my bus there.”

Before purchasing any new buses, however, Estese-Long is set on improving the one she has, including installing an awning to keep customers out of the rain and installing a speaker on the outside that would play relaxing, coffee house-esque jazz music, she said.

“I want to be a nice, storefront coffee business," she said, "but on wheels.”