DIY craft studio Makity Make proposes second location in Woodstock

Woodstock could soon fill the final spot in the Old Courthouse and Sheriff’s House if the City Council opts to move forward with a final lease agreement at an upcoming meeting.

Makity Make, a do-it-yourself craft studio based out of Algonquin, is looking to open up its second studio in the spot. Its owner, Julie Callahan, grew up in Woodstock, according to the proposal submitted by the business.

“We want to bring the arts to downtown Woodstock and get people excited about being creative, having fun and getting together,” Callahan said on Thursday.

The spot that Makity Make is requesting, which is meant to be reserved as an area the public can visit, is about 1,685 square feet broken up into two studio spots and some extra space, Woodstock’s Executive Director of Business Development Danielle Gulli said last week.

Makity Make was the only business that submitted a proposal for the space, Gulli said. There were others possibly interested, but none went as far as submitting a proposal.

The plan currently was for Makity Make to come in this week and begin discussions with the city, Gulli said. While it’s not yet known which meeting it will appear on, Gulli said, the city expects a vote on it before the end of the year.

“If that all goes well, and we can pull it together by [the Nov. 15 meeting], it will go on that agenda,” Gulli said. “Otherwise, it will probably go up in December.”

Callahan said she met with the city on Monday and discussed details but had yet to sign anything.

Originally, it was proposed that Creative Woodstock, a city-run arts center, fill the spot. But the City Council in April discussed the possibility of seeking other options. Gulli said last week some of those concerns stemmed from the center needing to possibly be subsidized to pay its bills.

As a result, the city wanted to look for something they felt could maximize revenue in an effort to help recuperate the costs of renovating the courthouse, which is slated to total about $13 million.

“The city never likes to compete with for-profit businesses,” Gulli said. “So if there’s an opportunity to have a private entity come in and run something, we always do try to explore that.”

One caveat many City Council members requested was to keep the space free to access. If Makity Make does get the spot, the public will have free access and would pay for the materials they use at the studio, Callahan said.

The space will also host craft shows, private parties, kids camps and have other sales, according to the proposal.

If approved, the lease would mark the fifth and final one to fill out the courthouse.

The first three were approved in May and June, and included E3 Artisans’ Ethereal Confections, currently located on the Square; the Public House of Woodstock, which has occupied a spot in the Courthouse since 2014; and the Woodstock Area Chamber of Commerce.

The fourth, approved last month, was with MobCraft Beer Inc., which will operate a brewery and taproom.

If the City Council decides not to approve the lease, it will mean a further search, Gulli said.