Shorewood Opens Churches to Host Commercial Kitchens

A new ordinance creates opportunities for small food businesses and helps community institutions thrive

If you've ever chatted with vendors at the Shorewood farmers market or picked up custom cookies from a local baker, you know the North Shore has a community of small food entrepreneurs. Now, thanks to a unanimous vote by the Shorewood Village Board on July 7, 2025, these culinary creators have exciting new opportunities to grow their businesses.

The Village Board approved an ordinance allowing commercial kitchens to operate in buildings zoned P-1, which means churches, schools, and municipal buildings. While these entrepreneurs can't sell directly from these locations, they can use the kitchens to prepare goods for farmers markets, online orders, catering gigs, and special events.

The change came about because North Shore Presbyterian Church on Bartlett Avenue has a commercial kitchen in their basement. Rather than let it sit unused, they proposed updating it and opening it to food entrepreneurs who need affordable commercial space to grow beyond their home kitchens.

Leading the charge locally is Jobea Murray, a Glendale baker and board president of the Wisconsin Cottage Food Association. She's launching "Gather and Grow Kitchens" to transform underused church kitchens into vibrant small business hubs. Her vision goes beyond just renting space - she imagines cooking classes, summer camps, and community events bringing life back to these buildings.

What This Means for North Shore Families

This ordinance creates several exciting possibilities for our community:

🥐 More Local Food Options: Expect to see new vendors at farmers markets and more options for custom cakes, catered events, and specialty foods.

👩‍🍳 Educational Opportunities: Churches may offer cooking classes or camps for kids and families in their upgraded kitchens.

🤝 Stronger Community Connections: Food businesses often become integral parts of their communities, showing up at school events, fundraisers, and local celebrations.

💼 Economic Development: These small businesses often grow into the beloved local shops and restaurants that make our communities unique.

Smart Safeguards

The Village included thoughtful provisions in the ordinance:

• A five-year review to assess how the program is working

• Requirements that all businesses be properly licensed and insured

• Restrictions on direct retail sales to maintain the character of residential neighborhoods

Looking Ahead

For churches, it's a way to stay relevant and financially sustainable while serving their communities in new ways.

The Shorewood Business Improvement District supports the move, seeing it as a pipeline for businesses that might eventually move into empty storefronts in the commercial district. It's a win-win: entrepreneurs get affordable space to launch their dreams, churches generate revenue to maintain their buildings, and families get access to more locally-made foods and community programming.

Keep an eye out for announcements about which churches might open their kitchens next, and don't be surprised if your next birthday cake or farmers market treat comes from one of these new community kitchen spaces!

Have you tried products from local cottage bakers or small food businesses? What would you like to see more of in the North Shore? Share your thoughts in the comments!