Shopping Local

SHOPPINGLOCAL

WRITER: CALEY SMITH Three unique businesses opened this past year, offering fresh, new options for those who live and work in Madisonville.

MadCity Wicks and Wine

A personal passion has turned into a new business for Madisonville. MadCity Wicks and Wine, on Main Street, opened in October 2021, Owner Robyn Elliott has always had a love of creating things and she wanted to share that with the Madisonville community.

“We knew the concept we wanted to do was candle making while drinking wine because that’s how we spend a lot of our evenings together,” Elliott said. “We kept throwing out words associated with candle making and I said wicks and wine and we agreed on it so quickly. MadCity was such an obvious part of the name because we live here and we were making candles out of our home at the time.”

MadCity Wicks and Wine has been quite successful over the past few months despite COVID-19 and other business-opening challenges. In March, the business will upgrade to a larger space, where they have added bourbon to the experience along with some other surprises that will be unveiled this spring.

The new space, at 37 S. Main Street, will allow a larger retail section where customers can purchase candles, wax melts, room sprays, scratch-made car diffusers and more. It will also allow for larger groups to come in and create together.

As of now MadCity Wicks and Wine is open Thursday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. but this is subject to change once in the larger space. Private parties are able to be booked outside of the normal business hours. Walk-ins during the daytime hours are accepted, but appointments are encouraged.

“We offer ‘choose your own adventure’ from the moment you walk in. You pick your apron, grab a scent list, and begin smelling,” Elliott said. “We walk you through selecting one or multiple scents to take back to your station and begin blending to create your own signature scent. Once you complete your candle, you can create a custom dust cover for your candle as a keepsake.”

Some of the most popular candle scents that people have been making are Sunset Bonfire, Don’t Fig With Me, and Joshua Tree. The experience is great for all ages as it is uniquely tailored to the maker, Elliott said. Water and mocktails are offered for those who prefer to not drink. Bachelorette parties, girls nights out and date nights are some of the most popular events to hit the store since opening.

“Our goal is to continue growing and collaborating with other businesses in Madisonville to grow our downtown area and community. We would love to see people from other areas travel here to shop and spend the day.”

MadCity Crafts DIY Studio and Simply Poured

Opened by Katie Doran and Melissa Savino, in July 2021, the combined business space, located at 190 Madison Square Drive, Suite A, hosts MadCity Crafts, which is a Do It Yourself Art Studio, and Simply Poured, which is a pastry/coffee shop that also offers a drive-thru option for those on-the-go.

The uniquely joined business came about when Doran and Savino, who did not know one another, were both looking to start their own business. They crossed paths at an event, and going in together to share a space just seemed like a good idea.

The art studio side of the business offers craft parties, DIY nights, tin flower making, canvas art, glass etching, wood tray making, vision and prayer boards, lantern making, sign making, cookie decorating and so much more for the community.

“You don’t have to be crafty and you don’t have to have any experience,” Doran said. “Everything comes together as one piece and ends of looking great.”

The coffee shop side of the business offers fresh baked pastries and baked goods, breakfast sandwiches, and an array of coffee drinks, lattes, cappuccinos and flavored teas. The fresh baked goods are delivered daily, from a bakery near Dixon. All of their offerings are available on Door Dash as well.

“I really wanted to create awareness and excitement around the coffee industry. We offer not just lattes, cappuccinos and such, but also French presses, unique brews, and pour overs. We strive to make our coffee and atmosphere stand out. We also offer coffee flights, coffee tastings and more,” Savino said.

So if you are looking to get crafty in either the coffee world or in the art studio, this unique new business is the perfect place.

For more information on Simply Poured, visit drinkcoffeetraveloften.com. For more information on MadCity Crafts DIY Studio, visit madcitycrafts.com.

Campfire Roasters, not a new business, but a new storefront location, which opened November 7, 2021, has people caffeinated and energized for 2022. The new location offers a drive-thru express lane for all of the busy morning commuters who are simply looking to order a caffeinated beverage and need to get on their way.

In addition to drinks, the new location features breakfast all day, including sausage, bacon, egg, and cheese biscuits or croissants, as well as muffins and scones. The drink options include coffee and non-coffee beverages. Brewed coffee, cold brew, mochas, frappes, lattes, hot chocolate, lemonades, teas, smoothies, and more. According to co-owner Suzanne Maples, lunch options are coming soon.

Like the other new businesses in town, Campfire Roasters faced supply shortages this past year, but they were still able to successfully open its doors.

Campfire Roasters currently has three locations throughout Madisonville. The new Campfire Roasters Express, which has the drive-thru and walk up window is located at 1060 Margaret Court. The Roastery is located at 130 N Seminary Street. This location is where all of the coffee is roasted. Customers can come in and see the coffee roasting process as well as the coffee pod process. The coffee pods are made fresh to order and will fit into any Keurig machine.

Outer Limits

Outer Limits, located on Anton Road, offers an assortment of nutritional drinks and protein shakes, both aimed to boost metabolism, curb appetite and keep people feeling good and healthy. They also offer programs for different challenges that people have in starting and maintaining a healthy lifestyle.

The store successfully opened November 8, despite the difficulty of opening of new business during a pandemic.

“We have had challenges in getting products due to shortages and shipping issues,” co-owner Dana Morgan said. “Despite the challenges, we are growing everyday and 2022 is looking very exciting.”

Loaded teas have become popular across the country over the past few years among the health conscious community. The drinks feature an assortment of supplements with reported benefits ranging from a boost in the metabolism to rise in energy.

Outer Limits caters to all ages groups offering products for adults and children. They are looking to expand in the future and possibly opening more locations throughout the state.