Editor’s Note: Each of the six businesses at the Young and Bright Pop Up Shop will be featured individually throughout the week to give each business its own spotlight.
Winderson’s Creation’s Mary Pettenger and greener goods Tara Allen know what it’s like to be a small business owner. The duo, who have formed a relationship through their close proximity in Sangamon on Main, decided to extend an opportunity to young business owners in the Young and Bright Pop Up Shop on Aug. 22.
The event showcased nine young entrepreneurs with a wide variety of services and products.
“I had no idea there were so many little entrepreneurs in Mahomet,” Allen said. “They’re so cute and they’re so good at what they do.”
“We saw them out there and knew that they needed, probably a place to come and just share all their stuff,” Pettenger said.
Allen said it’s the theme across Sangamon on Main, “stronger together.”
“We are super supportive of each other as businesses, and so it was nice to have the opportunity to support the younger kids that really, during this COVID crisis, have started their businesses and found their passion.”
With the Mahomet Farmer’s Market outside on the sidewalk, Allen and Pettenger knew that an extension into the building where children could offer their goods would be beneficial to all.
“We’ve had a great turnout,” Pettenger said. “As often as the kids want to come back and do it, I’d be willing to host them in here and then of course we have the room in the hallway.”
Maya Pettenger and Madison Evans
What do two wildly creative friends do together? Start a business, of course!
Maya Pettenger didn’t have to look far for creative inspiration. Her mom, Mary, is the owner of Winderson’s Creations in Sangamon on Main.
Maya was joined by Madison Evans at Saturday’s Young and Bright Pop-Up Shop at Sangamon on Main
The girls who feed off each other’s creativity, offered similar products, like hand-drawn stickers. But each entrepreneur also brought their own flair.
Maya started out designing smartphone cases in her mom’s shop. On Saturday, she offered a handful of designs alongside homemade cookies sold in threes.
Friday night she realized she might need something more, so she made cloud slime, a dark-color slime with glitter in it. One batch even glows in the dark.
For Maya, variety is key.
“I think I just like doing it all because you don’t have to stick with one thing,” she said. “If you get bored of making stickers, you can go and like make some slime or make cookies or stuff like that.
A benefit of hand-made is personalization. That’s what Madison was going for as she began making bracelets and keychains.
She knew that the key rings she had in her home could do someone some good, so she used perler beads to create keychain trinkets.
“I do either patterns and designs, or I make just things that look good,” Madison said. “I like to make things that people that I think people might like.”
Summer months usually equal popsicles, so Madison added popsicle sleeves in a variety of colors to her products.
But her focus, most of the time, is on drawing and printing stickers.
