Breaking Bread in Crystal Lake is launching indoor markets and trading card shows this months with the hope of making them permanent monthly events.
The downtown Crystal Lake Breaking Bread is located inside the Metra train station, located at 70 E. Woodstock St. Owners Chris and Teri Plazak were inspired to host their own indoor markets to support other local small businesses.
“Right now, it’s an incredibly tough time for a small business,” Chris said. “We’re just trying to help our other small business owners in the area.”
The first Breaking Bread indoor market will be held from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday. The sandwich shop aims to continue hosting the markets every first and third Saturday of the month.
Saturday will start off strong with a dozen vendors inside the Metra train station.
“We’ve got candles, jewelry, home decor, microgreens, greeting cards, jams, jellies, honey,” Chris said. “We’ve got a good mix of products for people to look at, I think, for the first show.”
Vendors for Saturday’s market include Tsedah Farms, Bead Brain, Rumorium Shop, Kards by Kathleen, Wilder Days Candles, GG’s Elderberry, It’s Jenny’s Jam, Mary Kay Cosmetics, Tikvah Farms, Sparkle Hair Bar, Stitch N Create and Ed Allen Honey.
So far, the family-owned business has vendors booked up to May. Chris said they will probably still keep hosting in the summer, when the city has its outdoor market in the downtown area.
“People are there anyway, so might as well be open and still have some additional vendors inside,” he said.
Next Saturday, Breaking Bread also will launch its own trading card show. John Plazak, who is the son of owners Chris and Teri, aims to host a show on the last Saturday of every month.
The first trading card show will be held from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Feb. 28.
Trading card shows are when people swap and sell game cards, usually while on the hunt for specific cards to fill out collections. With the resurgence in popularity of Pokémon cards, John was inspired to bring a show closer to home.
“I’ve been interested in Pokémon trading cards my whole life,” he said. “I always go to card shows in the area, but they’re always kind of far away.”
The vendors will have Pokémon cards primarily, but other trading game cards and sports cards will be there. An artist who creates glass Pokémon figures will also be selling his art, John said.
Attendees can come in to purchase cards, trade or even sell to vendors from their own collection.