February of 2020, I opened the doors to Maker on Main, on Main Street and that location. As the first grocery store really in all of Central Mass, especially in Worcester, that supported local food and local makers. The name change came from a couple things. One, it was imperative that when I changed from Lettuce Be Local to Maker to Main, because the vision and the, and the mission was changing slightly in the sense that I wasn't just supporting local food makers, but the goal was to support all makers of local things. So, if the guy who's making dog treats from spent grain from craft breweries in Massachusetts wants to sell the product in the store, well, that fits. That should definitely go in there. Or the woman that makes candles, because that's the new direction that she took her career, great, let's support you too and have a space for that as well. So, it was a maker of all things that were—and small businesses and to support and to incubate even more local businesses to move forward, all in one space within 1700 square feet. Ultimately, Maker to Main was not just bringing makers to Main Street. It was also to bring makers to mainstream, to give them an identity, to project their story and their voice so that as an independent little tiny business, they could be heard in a larger and to really highlight them.
Lynn Cheney was born in Worcester, MA, but grew up in Connecticut where she attended Woodstock Academy for High School. Lynn has one sister, no children, and has been divorced. Lynn has many ties to Worcester, including living in the city during various stages of her life, along with owning a small business in Worcester, and her participation in various charities and organizations within the city. Prior to January of 2024, Lynn owned and operated a small business, Maker to Main, which was a curated grocery store with local produce and had a variety of other sourced items from small local shops and businesses. In this interview, Lynn discusses both the successes and hardships that come with starting, and running a small business. Lynn shares how owning her own business came with challenges, however, it opened her eyes to many experiences and connected her to many amazing people within the Worcester community.