Since 2024, the Downtown Neighborhood Association of Elgin (DNA) has organized spring pop-up makers markets. These provide new business owners with a platform to display their handcrafted products. A new venture, the Made In Elgin Shop, will debut next month at Courtyard at 40. This initiative is part of the DNA’s Made In Elgin Incubator Program.
The shop will occupy a unit at 42 S. Spring St. and cater to up to eight entrepreneurs. Jennifer Fukala, DNA’s Executive Director, shared this information. The program received $100,000 from a Small Business Accelerator Grant, provided by The Hartford in partnership with Main Street America, in May 2025. The grant supports several purchases like lighting, display units, a point-of-sale system, and more. It also funds marketing and sustenance for the program’s first year.
The store will launch with four vendors, aiming for four additional ones soon. Initial operating hours will be limited to Thursday through Sunday. Each tenant will pay $400 monthly for at least six months. Fukala emphasized the goal of the venture: assist entrepreneurs to evolve from home-based or online setups to independent downtown locations.
The initial four vendors are Anika Jones of Head to Toe Blessings, Regina and Tawny Pauling of The Noble Soapery, Jen Monterroso from La Joya De Taxco, and Tola Makinde, who runs TCreativ Designs and MOPE Botanical Wellness. Tola Makinde creates pressed floral art, jewelry, and wellness products from her home studio. She values the space the shop provides and cherishes being part of a community celebrating local craftsmanship.
Makinde expressed the importance of having a dedicated workspace. She explained that her brands are closely tied to the local community and the opportunity seemed fitting. Fukala added that the incubator program supports businesses on their path to establishing physical storefronts. These enterprises, with diverse revenue channels, promise sustainability and enhance the downtown business sector’s resilience.
Makinde looks forward to increased visibility and connections through the shop. She values the potential for more workshops and collaborations within a creative community.
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