Editor’s note: This article is an excerpt from a previous story examining the first year in business for Peoria entrepreneurs.
Amy Tomblin remembers her grandmother, who was a French baker, cooking meals for every family holiday. She said that the grandmother often hosted and cooked for meetings and events.
“So, I just incorporated that into my own life and my house was always open to others, and I love to feed people,” Tomblin said.
So, in July 2021, Tomblin opened Meet me on Madison. The business was designed to be used as both a cafe and event space.
Initially, Tomblin said she considered creating a mobile phone business so she could bring herself to the customers. However, when she found the place in the middle, she felt as if it was an opportunity she simply could not pass up.
‘Kind of scared at first’:3 Peoria business owners reflect on surviving their first year
Tomblin said she realizes it took a lot of “confidence and faith” to open a business when she did.
“It’s hard, honestly,” she said. “It was really tough. It was one obstacle after another.”
Tomblin said she felt as if local grants weren’t as accessible as they could be, so she and her husband used a lot of their own money to get the business off the ground. More recently, it has been feeling the effects of inflation.
Along with these challenges, Tomblin said that she thought that the city center would start to come back to life. She said this was not the case, however.
“I think what we’re seeing is that, through COVID, a lot of these companies have kept their employees working from home and they’re just not coming back like we thought they were,” she said.
Tomblin said that the Twin Towers Plaza, where Meet me on Madison is located, has offices that once housed hundreds of employees. Now, she said, the spaces often seem to have fewer than 10 people working in person. And if exposure to COVID hits an office space, Tomblin said there could be even fewer people in the building.
A little over a year after she opened, Tomblin said she is considering moving her business away from the city center. She said she considered places like Washington or Peoria Heights but is still considering how to move forward. Her original dream of creating a mobile business has become Tomblin’s main goal again.
“When you’re stuck in one place, you’re just kind of a sitting duck and you’re waiting for it to be a convenient place,” she said.
Cafe by day, event space by night Meet me on Madison opens in Peoria
Looking back, Tomblin said she learned how essential a strong support system is when starting a small business. She also said that it is important for young entrepreneurs to research their ideas and create backup plans.
Wherever her next steps take her, Tomblin wants to expand her event space. She had a lot of fun booking and hosting events at the café. Tomblin also said she is thankful for all the relationships and memories she has made with clients.
“Whether I live in the city of Peoria or I live outside the city of Peoria, it’s still been rewarding,” she said, “and I don’t think maybe downtown Peoria is what it was and is kind of of – maybe there is the struggle – but I still have no regrets.”
More: Here’s how much money 36 Peoria businesses received from the city’s RISE Grant
Connect with Cassidy Waigand by emailing her at CWaigand@gannett.com or by following her on Twitter at @justxaxwriter.
