New businesses coming to Crystal Lake this summer

Crystal Lake will be welcoming three new small businesses this summer: a gluten-free bakery, Vine and Plate’s new wine shop and a Breaking Bread location at the train station.

Rosie’s Gluten Free Sweets

Rosie’s Gluten Free Sweets will be located at 5150 Northwest Highway. The bakery will sell sweets that are free from gluten and peanuts. Options will range from breads, cakes and cookies to the European specialty friands. Vegan options will be available such as cakes, cupcakes and cookies.

The shop is moving from its original Woodstock location to Crystal Lake’s Pinehurst Square retail center.

The shop will be four times bigger and the location acts as a hub for owner and President Pamela Strelcheck’s customers from Barrington to Algonquin.

Meanwhile, Crystal Lake residents can try out Rosie’s Gluten Free Sweets at the downtown farmers market every Saturday, she said.

Rosie’s also offers baking classes at its store and can create custom creations for special occasions.

Strelcheck said she expects the new location to open during the first week of August.

Rosie’s Gluten Free Sweets is named after Strelcheck’s late mother, who experienced abdominal and Celiac symptoms her whole life. Strelcheck started to become gluten intolerant about 10 years ago.

“I know she’s really excited and dancing up there for me,” she said.

“We’re just happy that we’re going to be able to help a lot more people,” Strelcheck said. “A lot of people haven’t ever had a birthday cake.”

Off the Vine wine shop

Off the Vine, located at 129 N. Main St., will be a neighborhood wine shop. The store will sell wine from around the world in addition to specialty beer and liquor. There also will be merchandise for sale, such as books and glassware.

The shop is expected to open Aug. 1 and will be in downtown Crystal Lake near Carnicerias La Rosita and Dark Heart Tattoo.

Owner Elizabeth Bednarczky and her daughter, Rachel Bednarczky, said that they hope the wine shop will fill a niche that is missing in Crystal Lake.

The duo plans on hosting wine tastings at the shop, Elizabeth Bednarczky said.

They also own the restaurant Vine and Plate, 414 W. Virginia St., Crystal Lake. It opened in 2020, just a week before its inside dining was shut down during the pandemic. The restaurant was able to survive by selling take-out meals and developing a loyal customer base.

“We absolutely love Crystal Lake and this community and our customers,” Elizabeth Bednarczky said.

Rachel Bednarczky said they discover new wines all the time, but are unable to put everything on their menu. The wine shop will be a way to sell all of their favorites and new finds.

More locations of Vine and Plate or more wine shops are in their future goals and dreams.

“The sky’s the limit,” Rachel Bednarczky said.

Breaking Bread at the downtown Crystal Lake Train Station

Breaking Bread will relocate its Crystal Lake location with an expanded menu to the downtown Crystal Lake Train Station, 70 E. Woodstock Ave.

Owner Chris Plazak and his wife, Teri, said that they expect the new location to open within the next two to three weeks.

This location will serve coffee, espresso, breakfast sandwiches and other to-go friendly breakfast pastry options. The Breaking Bread’s full lunch menu will be available, as well.

It will be open from 6 a.m. to 2 p.m. Mondays through Fridays and 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturdays. The shop will be closed Sundays.

The Plazaks opened their first business, a coffee shop, back in 1995. They see the opportunity of opening in the train station to sell coffee again.

“We wanted to go back to our roots,” Plazak said. “It was an opportunity to go back to what we love.”

Customers will be able to order online ahead of time, so they can grab their items and hop on the train quickly, he said.

This will be Breaking Bread’s new Crystal Lake location, moving from 230 W. Virginia St. Another location is in Cary.

The name Breaking Bread came from a dream that Teri Plazak had, Chris Plazak said.

He said is always happy whenever he sees customers gather and eat in the deli. He is getting 40 to 50 calls a day about the new train station location and he’s excited about the foot traffic, farmers market customers and daily commuters he will be able to reach.

“I know there’s success ahead,” Plazak said. “It’s going to be an awesome setup.”