Wonder Lake coffeeshop aims to open this spring in booming community

When Sarah Dycus opens Cup of Wonder later this year in Wonder Lake, her coffeeshop will only be permitted 10 seats for customers.

Once the village of Wonder Lake runs sewer and water lines to the location, planned for early 2026, she should be able to have 30 seats in the cafe and even more outdoor seating.

“It is my coffeeshop. Dan is my hired help.”

—  Sarah Dycus of Cup of Wonder. Her husband, Dan, is Wonder Lake's village president

Sarah Dycus is married to Wonder Lake Village President Dan Dycus. He is not part of running the cafe, she said.

“It is my coffeeshop. Dan is my hired help,” she said.

“In 2026 when water and sewer is in, I will expand the menu with craft cocktails, local craft brews and a nice nonalcoholic beverage menu,” Sarah Dycus said.

Opening a cafe “has been a dream of mine for a really long time to bring a place to Wonder Lake that is family friendly, where people can come to hang out at and relax,” Sarah Dycus said.

She’s been looking for a Wonder Lake cafe location for awhile now. At one point, she was about to purchase the commercial building a few doors down, but another buyer snapped that up before her.

Then, the opportunity arose to lease-to-own 7502 Hancock Drive, one of the Hancock Drive buildings owned by Tom Cooper.

“It is nice to know that Tom believes in the coffeeshop,” Sarah Dycus said. “He is willing to let the right businesses in.”

She is still working with the McHenry County Department of Health to permit the building, with its current well and septic system, to allow those 10 seat.

“They are basing that [number] on a sitdown restaurant” combined with the septic system’s capacity, she said.

Wonder Lake officials believe municipal water and sewer will be available by early 2026, Dan Dycus said.

Hancock Drive has long been considered Wonder Lake’s downtown, but was not annexed into the city until last February. Bids went out this week for the construction project that will allow businesses on Hancock Drive to connect to city water and sewer via the Stonewater development’s treatment plant and wells, Dan Dycus said.

None of the buildings along Hancock Drive will be forced to connect to the new system, he said. But the village has grant funds to pay for 50% of connection costs and to abandon the existing wells and septic systems.

“If we can achieve more grants, the intention is to go as high as 80%” of the cost being born by the village, Dan Dycus said.

With the thousands of new homes in or planned for the community, Wonder Lake was is fastest-growing town in Illinois, according to Census data released last year.

Sarah Dycus is paying to rehab the building they are in, including new windows overlooking the street, a false front on the building to improve its curbside appeal and outdoor seating. Plans are to open in April or May.

“It is a complete gut inside the building, so I am expecting some sweat equity,” she said. “It will have a whole new look.”