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Nostalgic memories inspired Lauren Engels to buy a well-established business in downtown La Grange and make it bigger and better.
“It’s a good memory,” Engels said. “I wanted to keep the business going.”
Engels, 24, and his father, Matt Engels, are the new owners of Ceramic Art Cafe, located at 26 S. La Grange Road.
Lauren remembers hosting and attending birthday parties there as a child.
“When I was younger, I was very artistic, but I felt like I hadn’t done it in a while. And I always enjoyed coming here,” she said.
Matt said Sue and Bill Martin owned the business for more than 20 years.
“I knew Sue and went to high school with her son. When Sue passed away in March 2023, I contacted Tim to express my condolences.” he said.
“A few days later, he called me and asked if I knew anyone in La Grange who wanted to buy a business,” Matt said.
“We kept saying no,” Lauren says.
But in the end, the cost was too high for the daughter and her father to ignore.
Owning a business is completely different from Lauren’s 9-to-5 job.
She works in structural design at Sargent & Lundy in downtown Chicago and designs power plants when she’s not working at the Ceramic Art Café.
Lauren and her parents live in La Grange.
She graduated from Lyons Township High School in 2017. Four years later, she graduated from the University of Illinois with a degree in environmental sustainability.
She played softball at Lyons Township High School and was on the club softball team at the University of Illinois, appearing in three World Series in Georgia. She was the catcher on the Illinois team that finished second in the nation behind Clemson in 2021.
Matt works from home for an insurance company.
They made some changes to the business, replacing the sofa that had been there since day one and painting the interior walls white instead of the previous yellow.
Our business concept remains the same. “Let’s enjoy art.”
People are charged a $10 fee and also purchase the pottery item they want painted. Prices range from $6 to $50.
“We have prices set for little kids at birthday parties and teenagers who come in. We’ve had LT students come in and paint $10 coffee mugs for their moms. “Sometimes,” Matt said.
After painting, let it dry for a day.
Matte or Lauren is glazed and placed in a kiln to give each item a glossy finish.
Reservations are recommended for large parties. Walk-ins are also welcome.
“Some people sit here for hours. There’s no time limit,” Matt said.
Lauren loved seeing the creativity of artists.
“If my kids wanted to draw a purple penguin, who am I to say no?” Lauren said. “We’ll locate them. Tell them that three coats (of paint) will give them the best color.”
It had a soft opening in August, and business has been recovering ever since.
“He’s getting better. When it gets colder outside, more people want to stay inside,” Lauren said.
“We’re the ones praying for the weather to stay nice over the weekend,” Matt said. “No one wants to be indoors when it’s 70 degrees outside.”
They contacted local schools.
“Not just La Grange schools, but Brookfield schools, La Grange Park, Western Springs. Probably Westchester schools as well,” Matt said.
Lauren said high school students who were there when they were young often come back to refresh old memories.
“We had a party with nine 17-year-old boys. It was great, it was great,” Matt said.
Lauren said the “best party ever” was for a group of young people with special needs.
Matt said 10 painters stopped by the day after Christmas.
Painters can choose from dozens of colors. They can wear smocks and the paint washes off easily from tables, clothes and people, Lauren said.
Business hours are Fridays from 5pm to 8pm, Saturdays from noon to 6pm, and Sundays from noon to 4pm.
“Closing time is the last time you can walk in,” Lauren said. “We’d like to be open six days a week. We’d also like to get a BYOB license for parties.”
She wants to hire people who can help her reopen her business more often.
To make a reservation, please call 708-579-3033 or email us. ceramicartcafelg@gmail.com.The website is www.ceramicartcafe.com.
Lauren is quickly learning that business ownership can bring about surprises.
During the Dec. 27 interview, a village official stopped by with a clipboard in hand.
“The ‘Open’ sign flashes,” he said. “Can you please stop it from flashing?”
Lauren said she would.
Ah, the joys of owning a business.
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