A new Oswego-based business opened recently thanks to the talents of three young business owners.
Hailey Stark, Josh Sommerville and Sierra Moore recently launched The Makers Cafe and Markets at 1067 Station Drive in Oswego.
The business features an eclectic mixture of coffee, pastries and artisan crafts.
Upon entering the shop, visitors will see rows and rows of shelves adorned with various crafts and knickknacks.
The entrance walkway leads to a counter where pastries and coffee can be ordered, as well as various other drinks. The hope is that those ordering food or beverages will browse through merchandise while at the shop.
Each of the three owners came to the newly-forged partnership with business interests of their own.
Stark, 24, of Elgin, said she worked for Verizon before “coming to do this” and that she continues to operate StarkieProduction – a business featuring jewelry, accessories and crafts that she markets in locations including Chicago, Schaumburg and North Utica as well as at various Painted Tree Boutiques in the western suburbs and Fort Wayne, Indiana.
Stark said The Makers Cafe “is us joining our three businesses together as well as giving a space for other small businesses to show their crafts.”
“Some of the things here are my stuff. I’m kind of in charge of the retail side of things in the cafe. We each have our own portion of the work here,” she said. “All the items in the front retail section are from businesses in the local area.”
The cafe business is a spin-off from last year’s Makers Markets craft shows in the area which were organized on a large scale in 2023 for the first time.
“We used to do a number of smaller markets but last year was the first time we hosted bigger markets,” Stark said. “Last year, we did two and this year we’re doing four.”
Moore, 23, of Yorkville, said she launched the Roots Coffee Stand in April of 2023, and participated as a beverage provider at craft shows and was “also helping Hailey (Stark) out.”
“I did made-to-order coffee on-site,” she said. “I also did lemonade, boba – kind of the same things we do here at the cafe as well. In terms of making coffee, it came from lots of practice. As far as the craft part of things goes I also used to run another small business and make things. I had clothing stuff … I ran a little kids’ clothing boutique and then I transferred to Roots. I love the coffee so much more than anything else I’ve ever done.
“My part in this part of the business is making the coffee and managing all the drinks. It’s my role here,” she said.
She said “there’s been an outpouring of love from the community” for the new business.
“We had so many people and groups on Facebook – we had a lot of good feedback. There was a guy from a really established doughnut business in Oswego who came over and tried one of our doughnuts. To be as established as he is, I thought that was really cool.”
Sommerville, 22, of Yorkville, said he came to the business after running Fireside Treats which he started in August of 2021.
He said with the cafe he is “managing all the food side of things and making sure things are up to the quality we want here.”
“Before that, I was in warehouse work for a little bit but then turned to entrepreneurship and have loved it ever since,” he said. “Fireside makes grilled doughnuts and grilled cinnamon rolls in order to kind of take your favorite treats that you know and love and put a little spin on it. This all blends together. Sierra and I have been partnering for the last year since she started out. Every event was a combination of the food and drink, and when we met Hailey doing all the retail stuff, we were talking about opening this up and giving the opportunity to others (selling crafts) as well.”
The cafe’s name, Sommerville said, “generated from the Makers Markets that started off last year.”
“With all the makers we wanted to emphasize all the local businesses making their own things and then we added the cafe on top of it, and it’s a perfect combination,” he said.
David Sharos is a freelance reporter for The Beacon-News.
