Weekend Craft founder Michelle Beaton is shaking things up at Norwood’s Winsmith Mill Market, trading her tucked-away third floor studio for a new street-level concept called The Craft Cafe. The space is set to blend coffee and pastries with hands-on creative projects, giving neighbors an easy place to grab a drink, pick up a DIY kit or settle in for a workshop. It is the latest step in Weekend Craft’s shift from online DIY hub to in-person creative business.
Beaton announced the change and is already in renovation mode
Beaton first shared the news on social media, and, as reported by WhatNow, she officially moved out of the former Weekend Craft Studio on July 8 and immediately started prepping the new cafe space. The outlet cites her post, where she told followers, “I have so much to catch you up on,” and notes that since getting the keys she has been painting, sourcing restaurant equipment and meeting with plumbers and electricians. Those early days of demolition and setup are already underway as she reshapes the space for a more retail-friendly layout.
Where the cafe will land
The Craft Cafe is slated for a first floor retail unit inside the Winsmith Mill Market at 61 Endicott Street, the multi-tenant mill complex in Norwood. The WinSmith Mill Market still lists Weekend Craft among its studios and vendors, confirming the business is staying on site, just moving to street level. For regulars who already weave through the market’s dozens of makers on weekends, the new location means Beaton’s projects and products will be much easier to reach.
What The Craft Cafe will offer
According to Weekend Craft, The Craft Cafe will function as a neighborhood coffee shop combined with a creative studio. Guests will be able to order coffee and pastries, then choose from DIY projects to work on in the space. The site notes that visitors can browse curated art supplies and handmade goods, sign up for workshops and reserve the space for private parties or events. Moving from a third floor studio to a ground floor shop is meant to make casual, drop-in creativity far more accessible.
From blog to brick and mortar
WhatNow reports that Weekend Craft started life in 2013 as a DIY blog and has since grown into a creative brand with a sizable social media audience and collaborations with national companies such as Target, Ryobi, Epson, GE, The Home Depot and Cricut. That online reach helped fuel Weekend Craft’s evolution from tutorials on a screen to a physical studio, and now to a hybrid cafe and retail concept.
Timeline and how to follow along
An official opening date has not been announced. Weekend Craft’s studio page currently lists The Craft Cafe as “Coming Soon” and encourages visitors to sign up for updates. Fans can track the renovation progress through Weekend Craft’s Facebook and Instagram accounts or join the email list on the Weekend Craft site while the team finishes the buildout.
The shift is part creator brand, part neighborhood hangout. Norwood is in line to get a spot where you can grab a latte, tackle a project and head home with something you made, all while watching a former studio get reborn at the heart of the mill over the coming weeks.
