Small, Local and Sustainable
Photo by Victor Hilitski
How an Oak Brook couple curated a premier destination for makers, artists, and small businesses
On an early June weekend at Oakbrook Center, well over 100 artisan vendors lined the lawn and walkways of Oakbrook Center, in what has become a favorite semi-annual shopping event and destination.
Thousands of shoppers meet and shop from talented local and Midwest artisans who pour their passions into creating one-of-a-kind products in food, fashion, home goods & art.
“That passion shines through,” says Jonathan Smith, who co-founded the Artisan Market series with his wife Lynna. “Shoppers can meet the person making the product, or hear the stories of how solving a problem in their own life became the inspiration for creating it, or find custom products they’re not likely to find in stores.”
First inspired as a response to small business needs, the Artisan Market has grown into a thriving event series that annually hosts 15 markets at six locations across Chicagoland, with more events and locations on the horizon.
“We were working in digital marketing and events with a lot of small business clients,” Jonathan recalls. As real estate taxes and rents went up, they noticed increasing demand for ‘pop-up’ opportunities over traditional brick-and-mortar locations.
“The small business eco-system in Chicago is amazing, and I just thought it could be really special if we could showcase that,” Jonathan says. His online searches for ‘artisan market’ revealed an opportunity that he and Lynna could address. “This was not going to be your grandma’s craft fair,” he adds with a laugh.
In 2018, Jonathan and Lynna launched the Chicago Artisan Market at Morgan MFG in Chicago’s Fulton Market neighborhood. In its first year alone, the Chicago Artisan Market hosted three successful events.
On the heels of this success, the Smiths recognized additional opportunities closer to home.
“As longtime residents of Oak Brook, we noticed that some pop-ups and art festivals held at Oakbrook Center had either failed, declined or closed in recent years,” Lynna recalls.
“Oakbrook Center is one of the top 5 shopping centers in the country. So we thought we could do our brand of artisan market here and succeed where others had failed.”
That vision became the Oak Brook Artisan Market, which launched in May 2019.
The path wasn’t always smooth. During the market’s first weekend at Oakbrook Center, an unexpected 55-mile-per-hour spring storm swept through.
“It wasn’t even in the forecast,” Jonathan says. “It appeared on radar two hours after we opened.”
Then came COVID-19.
Thousands of shoppers visit the Oak Brook Artisan Market each season to discover unique products from local and Midwest artisans.
Photo courtesy of Oak Brook Artisan Market
The Oak Brook Artisan Market had hosted three events before the world shut down in March 2020. Like many small business owners, they found themselves uncertain about what lay ahead. Their solution came through a unique partnership with The Drake Oak Brook.
With weddings and events paused during the pandemic, the hotel offered its expansive grounds as a temporary home for the market. A series of outdoor monthly markets were hosted across the property’s 10 acres with vendor tents placed 15 to 20 feet apart.
“We used to joke that we were safer than a supermarket,” Lynna says. “We were outdoors, spread out, and people were craving connection.”
The response exceeded expectations. Vendors flourished during an incredibly difficult period, and shoppers continued showing up.
“For many of our vendors, the markets became a life preserver during COVID,” Jonathan says. The markets continued at The Drake in 2021 and spring 2022. As the world slowly opened back up, the event returned to Oakbrook Center in fall 2022.
Since then, the Artisan Markets have become known not just for unique shopping, but also for connection – an experience increasingly rare in today’s world of online retail.
“Our markets are such a great way for people to connect while shopping small and local,” Lynna adds about the spots intentionally set up at their events for people to chat over coffee or new purchases.
The incredible growth of the Artisan Markets is shaped by the vendors and shoppers who bring it to life.
“We work with over 1,000 artisan-vendors every year,” Jonathan adds. “They come from all different backgrounds. Some do their artisan business full-time. Some moonlight around their day job.”
And shoppers travel to the Oak Brook Artisan Market from more than 200 communities across Illinois, Indiana, Wisconsin, Michigan, and beyond. Adds Jonathan, “shoppers not only have the opportunity to find great products, but they also get to help make someone’s dreams come true.”
The couple’s own roots in Oak Brook are woven into the market’s identity.
Lynna grew up in Brook Forest in a large Cuban-American family, one of seven siblings. Before moving to Oak Brook in 2014, the family frequently biked from La Grange through local trails to spend weekends in town.
“We already knew and loved the community long before we lived here,” Jonathan says.
Their son, AJ, attended Brook Forest Elementary and Butler Junior High before graduating from the University of Illinois this spring with a finance degree. Along the way, he worked as a lifeguard and swim instructor at the Oak Brook Park District.
The Artisan Markets are a full-time commitment for Jonathan and Lynna. When they do catch some downtime at home in Oak Brook, you’ll often find them gardening or sprucing up the landscaping in their Cambridge Drive cul-de-sac.
Planning, building, and cultivating their outdoor spaces is not unlike the work that has gone into successfully growing their artisan markets.
They credit much of their success to the work ethic instilled by their families – something Jonathan and Lynna recognize in the artisans they support.
“In many ways, our vendors are a reflection of Oak Brook residents – they come from all over the world, from all different backgrounds, ethnicities, and religions, and they work hard to succeed,” Lynna adds.
The Artisan Market has also solidified Oak Brook as a destination. Adds Jonathan, “the location, accessibility, free parking, low sales tax — Oak Brook has all the ingredients of a true regional attraction.”
Looking ahead, the Smiths continue to seek opportunities to grow, actively working with municipalities and commercial property owners to bring artisan markets to new communities and venues.
As the Artisan Market series grows, the mission remains the same: to create an intersection for creativity, entrepreneurship, and community.
“We love hearing our vendors joyfully tell us that their sales at the Oak Brook Artisan Market are their highest sales of the year,” Jonathan adds. “There’s something really special about helping small businesses succeed.”
Held at Oakbrook Center, the Oak Brook Artisan Market brings together creativity, entrepreneurship, and community.
Photo courtesy of Oak Brook Artisan Market
