Bake the world a better place …. that’s what Aly Sturgis of Aly’s Bakehouse tries to do every day. And now, the Macomb woman, who also runs the Macomb Farmers Market and the Macomb Food Co-op, is bringing her goodies and more to Sullivan Taylor Coffee House, which she’s transforming into Sullivan Taylor Uptown (STU).
Sturgis recently took possession of the keys from Dan Lewis and Ruth Kelly of Macomb and is revamping the coffee house into more than “just coffee.” The shop, which will be open from 7 a.m.-5 p.m., Monday-Saturday, will continue to feature its signature coffees and other brews, and will have new, healthier grab-and-go options for breakfast, lunch and snacks; baked goods (including whole loaves of bread) for sale, and other unique offerings. While she has one trained barista on staff, Sturgis will be attending “coffee school” at Intuition Coffee in Peoria in the near future to learn how to make the specialty beverages, and Lewis is refurbishing a top-of-the-line espresso machine to give such items as Bianca Mocha that extra special eye-opening kick.
“This has been my dream forever and now, only in this community, would I do this and take on something like this,” Sturgis said. “Sullivan Taylor Uptown is going to be transformed into not only a coffee shop, but a bakery, a café, and we have so many other ideas up our sleeves that we’re ready to implement in the coming weeks and months ahead. I just ask everyone to be patient and hang in there with us as we go through this journey to bring something even bigger and better to Macomb.”
Mark Grieve of Aged Cheddar Knife Sharpening is readying an industrial slicer so Sturgis’ homemade sourdough bread can be sliced for sandwiches, avocado toast and more, and other volunteers are pitching in with cleaning, painting, rearranging and setting up, all while the shop remains open for business. Sturgis and her team – whom she calls “amazing – will be open Monday-Saturday to start, and they’re planning on adding brunch options on Saturdays and Sundays, complete with live music, and eventually, a supper club offering reminiscent of the popular clubs in the Wisconsin-area in partnership with The Wine Sellers (the first one will be a Maryland Crab Feast to pay tribute to the 12 years she lived in Maryland) and special meals with an international flavor and flair that are typically found in larger cities. Sturgis’ team includes Macomb native Mercedes Ward, who is STU’s marketing manager and who has experience as a coffee roaster, and her partner, Patrick Heles, who has been a chef in both Michelin and James Beard award-winning restaurants; John Lane, who is a barista and front-of-the-line cook and Sturgis’ son, Zachary True, who is serving as the business/finance manager.
“I’m also going to offer ice cream sandwiches using my homemade cookies, croissants, homemade English muffins and bagels, savory meat and vegetarian kolaches {a pastry that originated in the Czech Republic and Slovakia}, food with healthier ingredients and so much more. Another new thing we’re going to try is curbside service so you can truly grab-and-go without getting out of your vehicle,” Sturgis shared. “It’s going to take a minute to get there, but we’ll get there. There’s a lot to put together, such as moving in my commercial bread oven, revamping the kitchen for greater efficiency, getting new artwork on the walls, enlarging our outdoor/alleyway seating area, we have a coffee roaster that comes with a learning curve so we’ll be able to provide locally roasted coffee and cold brew and the list goes on. But first and foremost, it’s about getting the kitchen up and running first – that’s our number one goal.”
This isn’t Sturgis’ first business rodeo, so to speak, and food has always been central to her life. She comes from a family of bakers, and for more than 30 years, she was a corporate trainer and a regional operations director for Domino’s. She lived in Macomb off and on from third through 10th grade, traveling overseas in between and graduating in Jakarta, Indonesia, returning to Macomb after leaving the corporate world and working for the local Domino’s franchisee for a bit.
“During COVID, I quit my job because it was truly time to do something else, and it was then that I started baking full-time,” she explained. “I knew how to run a business and when things opened back up, I started going to the local farmers market, all while contemplating my future. I kept baking, and the more I baked, the more I loved it and the better I got. So now, a few years later, here I am. Making food and making my community happy.”
To pay homage to the building’s previous “life,” the Macomb Donut Shop, Lewis and Kelly had purchased the original “make table” from the donut business when items were auctioned off, and it’s going to move from its place in the kitchen to the shop’s lobby area, complete with a commemorative plaque that showcases the building’s history.
Lewis and Kelly, who bought the building in 1994, opened Sullivan Taylor on June 5, 1995.
“Dan and Ruth have been amazing.
They’re all in and are behind me all the way.
In fact, so many people been really supportive and have helped make this happen.
I couldn’t have done this without City Hall and Mayor (Mike) Inman, my team, my mentor Gayle Carper, Mark (Grieve) and so many others. I’d also like to thank former manager Brandon Thompson who has helped with this transition,” Sturgis pointed out. “It’s taking a village to take this over, and I truly have one. Everyone involved wants to make Macomb an even better place. We all think Macomb has a spark and there are so many opportunities to do even more here.”
From the homemade baked goods using unbromated, unbleached flour and farm fresh eggs (and other good ingredients) to the specialty items such as kolaches to Sturgis’ yummy grilled cheese menu to Dim Sum, Sturgis said these offerings, along with other plans that are in the works, will set STU apart and create a niche market for the longstanding business and the downtown.
And having a commercial kitchen now at her disposal will allow her to expand on her current tried-and-true fare, while offering a plethora of new cuisine.
“We’re going to have great items and provide a service to the community,” she concluded. “It’s all about making this a community coffee house, bakery and more that’s good for everyone.”
