An Elgin man infused his two passions to create his small business. This establishment was recently inducted into the Illinois Makers Program.
The walls of Steep N’ Clay in Elgin are filled with large jars of tea leaves. One side has single ingredient teas; the other wall displays blended teas. Throughout the store and specifically in the back, shelves are filled with pottery that the owners made.
Each year, the Illinois Office of Tourism chooses small businesses that help make Illinois a desirable destination place. These businesses sell handmade products. Tom Hill and his wife Kirsten are the owners of the shop. Hill said he was shocked to learn that he was one of 48 small businesses that landed on the Illinois Made list.
“We're passionate over what we're doing,” he explained. “And it's that whole thing of like, seeing what new customers come and what new experiences we can provide for people being here. I don't know, we're looking forward to seeing what happens.”
Hill learned how to do ceramics in his freshman year of high school. He said sophomores and upper classmen were able to choose between study hall and art but as a freshman he wasn’t given the choice.
“I got dumped into a ceramics class. And I was not happy about it. Because also, we had to wear a school uniform as well,” he said. “And that also meant that you're going to be covered in clay or dirty and like having to walk around the halls -- and in high school.”
Despite being dirty, Hill fell in love with the class and studied the art form in college. Over the years, he’s worked in different ceramic spaces. He sells his wares to cafés, retailers, and other tea shops.
Tea is his second passion. Hill said his buddy is a fifth-generation tea farmer. When Hill originally thought about starting a business, he said his focus was on ceramics. His intention was to sell pottery and add a little bit of tea into the mix. He said that was the perfect way to help support his friend’s family tea farm while focusing on his art. But the community wanted more.
“The tea started taking up more and more space. And there was that decision of, we've got to move the production of the pottery out of the space into a different space and expand more of the tea,” Hill explained. “And more of the blends and more of the things that we're trying to provide.”
So, Hill decided to give the customers what they desired. He found a place to produce his pottery and he filled the walls of the store with tea. The teas are imported from all over the world.
Hill said he learned about tea by going to tea festivals and talking to tea masters. On Sunday mornings from 10 a.m. until noon he allows the customers to soak in some of this knowledge. The fee is $5.
“We go and taste between like 12 to 14 different teas during that two-hour timeframe, we go over, like the historical significance of where the tea came from,” he said.
Nathan Botkin works in Elgin. He was there with his family looking for Christmas gifts. He started coming to the shop when it first opened. He said Steep N’ Clay is a great representation of Illinois.
“It just shows kind of like the Midwest feel, you can walk in here and you know, him and his wife immediately,” he said. “Their girls are here, which is a very welcoming environment.”
Lee Kalibeo works next door at Elgin Knit Works. Kalibeo said she loves how passionate the owners are about tea.
“I went in there one day with a sinus infection," she said. "So, I had this really heavy chest, and they threw something together for me. And like, within a few hours, I started feeling better. That congestion was breaking up. And it was nice.”
Kalibeo also had a special pottery request. She saw a mug online that had a bunch of tiny irises, but Kalibeo said it was not the color she wanted. She said she showed it to the owners. Kirsten researched irises and came back with a mug that had one big iris on it.
“She really investigated what an iris looks like, 3D sculpted it," Kalibeo said, "so it took up the whole one side of the outside of the mug and then wrapped around towards the inside. It's absolutely stunning.”
Hill said his wife was instrumental in getting the shop started. According to him, he was in his own way, and she was the voice that pushed him to get out of his comfort zone.
“Maybe their ideas are crazy," she said, "or sound crazy or sound like you're really going for something. You believe in them."
He also credits his extended family.
“My grandma, always said, ‘money will always come as long as you're being honest and passionate with the work you're doing,’" Hill explained. "And I think that's kind of where it's sitting — like, well, let's just do what we're passionate over. And we'll figure the rest out as it continues."
Hill said they don’t know who nominated the shop for the Illinois Made or ‘Makers’ program but he said he does appreciate the accolade and he is looking forward to seeing what it does for his business.
