Adding Color To The Milford Skyline
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Angie Deak, owner of Made on Main, an art studio and artisan hub located in downtown Milford, is joined by ambassadors of the local chamber of commerce in a ribbon cutting on Wednesday, Aug. 11. Shown from left are Renea Salyer, executive director of Syracuse-Wawasee Chamber of Commerce; Deanna Brecker, Camp Alexander Mack; Jessica Barger, Lakeland Youth Center; Sherry Geise, The RGroup Realty; Angie and Mike Deak with their daughters, Camdyn, 4, and Caraline, 7; Jason Dewart, Interra Federal Credit Union; Fred Steffen, Steffen Realty; and Mason Slabaugh, Tippecanoe Lake Country Club. InkFreeNews photo by Ray Balogh
By Mike Deak
InkFreeNews
MILFORD – It’s been a dream of hers since she was a child, looking out over Main Street in Milford. Now, Angie Deak is living the dream, the owner of Made On Main.
Deak opened her store in early July, an art and artisan hub. On the studio side of the store is a space for makers of all kinds. Artists can “make and take” projects during business hours or register for and attend classes and workshops taught by local artisans themselves. The studio includes a kids area complete with a chalkboard and toys to enjoy while paint dries and parents shop.
The art space was helped in design by her own two daughters, it’s open to any art skill level.
“Messes are not only accepted, but they are expected at Made On Main studio,” Deak said. “Some parents don’t want to paint at home because it’s messy and they don’t want to clean up. That’s what we encourage at the studio, that they can make a mess and I’ll clean it up. If it’s in the name of being creative and feeling pride, then I’m here for it.”
The other side of the shop, located at 103 S. Main St. in the heart of downtown Milford and just a couple blocks south of where she grew up, is the artisan side. Filled with a variety of handmade products, the inventory is sourced from mostly local artists. It mattered to Deak that the artisans were showcased.
“I wanted to get artistic people whom I am familiar with who have successful small businesses, just getting their names out there even more,” stated Deak. “Sharing their talents with people, getting to tell their stories to people, it’s really important to me. People that shop the store, I want them to have a connection to the product they are holding and the person that made it.”
The shop carries products from nearly 20 different local artisans, with the potential to continue to grow. There is a person behind every product. There are wood signs created by Grace and Rose Design, the flagship business of Deak. Made On Main is also partnered with candle makers and jewelers, potters and woodworkers, authors and coffee roasters, just to name a few. Nearly every aspect of the former Harvest Coffee location has a local touch, from the outdoor sign to the products inside.
“It has been overwhelming, but in the best way possible,” Deak said of the early returns as the store enters its first month of business. “I thoroughly enjoy meeting new people as well as seeing familiar faces stop into the shop. One of the best things is watching a kid leave a store with something they made, beaming with pride, that they’ve gotten to create, they’ve gotten to express themselves creatively.”
Made On Main is open Wednesday through Friday 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Saturday 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. To schedule a private party or workshop, visit the store or find Made On Main Studio on Facebook or Instagram.