Opening of 2 new women-owned businesses in downtown Champaign

By Kelly Youngblood

Downtown Champaign is experiencing a sort of resurrection and two new women-owned businesses are joining the renaissance.

Golden Weather Goods, a home and lifestyle boutique, and Fire Doll Studio, a craft candle, will open in the coming weeks, joining other women-owned and condominium businesses that have opened during the pandemic. , including Suzu’s Bakery, Behemoth Durable Goods, Next Level Hair Salon, and The Rec Club.

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Founder Erin McGill had a vision a few years ago to open a storefront and knew it was the community for her to do so.

“We have such great support not only for local businesses, but also for small independent artists,” she said.

Over the past year, McGill has refined and developed its brand, which focuses on “everyday, warmly chosen products” – things that are made slowly and carefully and usually made by a small team of people.

She has spent the past six months collecting different items from vendors and artists that fit this mold, including candles, textiles, ceramics and jewelry. Now she is expected to hold a smooth opening on Saturday, July 24.

McGill says she is interested in “things made on a smaller scale to support those who have branched out and done their own thing.”

“Consumers want a nicer story behind the things they buy, a better story,” says McGill. “They want to know that they are supporting a local showcase as well as independent artists. “

McGill wants people to feel good about what they buy, knowing that it is for a living and supporting someone with a dream.

“It makes the products a lot more unique. Shopping small is impossible 100% of the time, but my goal is to try and bring the needle closer this way.

The idea behind Golden Weather Goods was inspired by its aversion to Midwestern winters. She says that like any good Midwestern dweller, she longs for summer, warm weather and sun.

McGill’s overall goal, which she developed in the fall of 2020, is to recreate that summer vibe in her boutique and cultivate that feeling in the products she sells – that feeling of warmer weather, air. fresher and longer days.

“I wanted to bring that kind of feeling into what I do here in the boutique and the type of products that I make and the people who make them,” McGill said. “It’s such a great feeling and I think we were all looking for this last year. We were all looking for better days, better times, better prospects overall.

Golden Weather Goods is located at 41 East University, across from Seven Saints. A pre-opening will take place on Saturday July 24. For more information, go to [email protected] or connect to Instagram.

Fire doll studio

Kayla Brown started candle making in 2011 while in nursing school. She was looking for a creative outlet that matched her study program and wanted to find a more natural candle that did not trigger her asthma.

She researched and found out how to make a candle safe for asthmatics like her – and ended up falling in love with the candle-making process.

“It tickled my creative brain and also allowed me to work with my hands, which I love to do. I was addicted, ”says Brown.

Ten years later, she still enjoys the art of candle making and plans to open Fire Doll Studio, a small retail space and candle making studio, in mid-August in the city center. from Champaign.

Fire Doll Studio, located at 110 S. Neil Street, will offer a variety of handmade candles and melted waxes as well as locally made soaps and bath bombs. In addition, personal care items and gifts will be available.

Brown is very happy to offer “Happy Hours to Candles” (similar to painting and sipping parties) and creating your own candle stations that will allow others to design their own scent, mix and pour their own. candles.

“You can buy anything on Amazon these days, so I really wanted to focus on creating an out-of-store experience,” she said.

Brown, who is also a locally renowned musician and registered nurse, hadn’t really planned on opening a storefront. In fact, she operated out of her home until last fall, selling her candles first in local markets and then going to larger markets further afield.

But, like so many others, the pandemic has forced a life change. Just before the pandemic hit, Brown was working as a full-time musician and nurse as needed.

Then she was fired from her nursing job last summer and the live music performances just weren’t happening.

“It turned everyone upside down and I lost all my usual job. I had one thing left to focus my energy on and I just decided to live with the times and move the Fire Doll online, ”Brown said.

So, she moved her home operation to a small studio in November of last year and set up an Etsy page, offering curbside pickup for local orders.

The Etsy page seemed to be gaining momentum, so they created a new website and started offering monthly and seasonal candle subscriptions. Things really started to take off from there.

She started to attract visitors to her studio who were interested in her candles and she really enjoyed meeting and talking with people. When she was lucky enough to find an affordable space to open a retail store, she knew she had to.

“I just felt like the universe was giving me this opportunity to take control of my world for the first time in a long time and share something that I really love with my community on a new level,” said Brown said.

Brown, who has been a lifelong Urbana resident, feels fortunate to have grown up in “such a wonderfully creative, musical, vibrant and culturally rich community.” She credits her current efforts to the “wonderful humans I have met throughout my time in this community.”

“I’m just grateful that I grew up in a community that continues to inspire me every day,” she says.

Fire Doll Studio is scheduled to open in mid-August. You can watch for updates on Facebook and Instagram for an official opening date or go to firedollstudio.com for more information.