APRIL 17, 2023
This Saturday is another opportunity to visit and shop MAKOKOMO right here in our studio. Our work is driven by the users who invite these objects into their lives and we don't view this connection as a one-way street. We want to hear what you are thinking and also share our design approach and process with you. The whole experience is more meaningful and powerful when we do.
You are invited to come and learn more about MAKOKOMO products at our Rockwell St. studio this Saturday April 22 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. In addition to 20% off all standard items, there will be some one-offs, samples and blemished items for sale as well.
We are easily accessible by the Berteau and North Branch river bike tails, the Irving Park 80 bus line, and free street parking is available along Rockwell.
For more updates on special events and pricing, you can subscribe to our newsletter. We won’t give, share, sell or lend your data to anyone.
March 28, 2023
Beyond Land Acknowledgement
We’ve been considering the importance of a land acknowledgement statement for MAKOKOMO. Our name has obvious reference to the indigenous history of the Upper Midwest. But our philosophy is rooted in a much deeper sense than mere geographic proximity. While we acknowledge the ancestral history of the lands on which we operate we further and emphatically acknowledge the indigenous peoples to this area — the Miami, Ojibwa, Potawatomi and specifically the Menominee — as thought leaders in our field of sustainable production and manufacturing.
The history of degradation and elimination of forests is part and parcel of the broader experience of dispossessed people in the United States. Yet despite this history, few examples of truly sustainable and responsible silviculture exist beyond the forest management plan established by Menominee Tribal Enterprises. Our future viability as producers depends upon healthy forests and the sustained-yield practices of MTE are well aligned with our mission.
We must refute the dominant market assumptions that have contributed to this near failure and move toward systems that support sustained-yield and forest diversity if we seek to preserve the availability of this resource and the health of our habitat.
We are currently assessing the viability of sourcing certain species exclusively from MTE or similarly managed forests and will update you as things develop.
March 1, 2023
Our first studio sale is happening this weekend on Saturday March 4, from 12-5 PM. We are looking forward to connecting with you and offering a unique retail experience right here in our studio. We get a chance to meet you and maybe make new friends while you gain a view inside our process of designing and manufacturing MAKOKOMO products. For all the details, make sure to subscribe to our newsletter, or follow us on Instagram.
Feb. 8, 2023
This year, we will will be inviting you to come to the studio, shop MAKOKOMO merchandise, meet us and learn more about our work. There will be new stock, floor samples and some blemished or imperfect finishes for sale, but more importantly, it gives us a chance to meet and talk with users about the process and our approach. Upcoming dates will be announced this winter so be sure to sign up for our newsletter, or follow us on Instagram.
Nov. 8, 2022
The Show of Hands Chicago event is coming up in a couple of weeks from Friday Nov. 18th to Sunday the 20th at the all new Architectural Artifacts location. The Friday night event is kind of special and requires a ticket. They are available at WWW.SHOWOFHANDSCHICAGO.COM/TICKETS. The first 10 of you to use our promo code: MAKOKOMO will get 20% off the ticket price. Saturday and Sunday 11am - 6pm are open to the public and FREE.
Once again, we will be showing alongside the cool folks from Manual as well as a group of realy talented makers. you can get all the details here: WWW.SHOWOFHANDSCHICAGO.COM
Oct. 24, 2022
Ursli 24” stools are now available in a special Intense Black finish. If you need it to be all black, this is the one. Limited quantities. Available here
Sept. 13, 2022
Thanks to all who showed up and supported the diverse group of makers and artists at this year’s Division St. Renegade Craft event. Particularly those of you who went out of your way to support some vendors who experienced significant losses during the biblical-level supercell rainstorm on Sunday. Flash flooding and severe damage was widespread and it was a challenging day for everyone, so it was great to see people looking out for each other. We’ll be heading indoors for a few more events this year and hope to see you soon. Stay tuned.
August 8, 2022
It’s been a fairly hot summer here in the city and we’ve been testing the limits of our ability to produce handcrafted products. While a large amount of time is saved using automated machinery, there is still a herculean effort that goes into designing, producing and marketing these pieces. We use this process to further our understanding of not just our own products and how we can optimize them, but also to be better designers when we work with other clients and manufacturers. This proximity to the manufacturing process and materials is crucial to good design but has slowly eroded in the age of offshoring and digital-only work. We look to rebuild this dynamic, re-shore more of the process here at home, and offer well-crafted products at a reasonable price. Stay tuned.
May 11, 2022
We are excited to be participating in an all-new Renegade Craft event in Chicago’s Andersonville neighborhood. Its running Saturday and Sunday May 21-22 from 11-6. We will be showing new products alongside our friend Craighton Berman from Manual. Come find us both at Booth #75 right in the middle of Clark Street between Bryn Mawr and Edgewater Ave.
MANUAL is a Chicago brand that creates home goods for slow living. This is the kind of stuff that resonates with us and we think it will do the same for you. Click below for more info on Craighton Berman and shop the MANUAL store.
Mar. 26, 2022
We’ve been upgrading the studio with new equipment, specifically a new CNC machine from Avid CNC. This will expand our prototyping and development capabilities immensely and even allow us to support some production work. The first two months have already been quite a journey.
Jan. 25, 2022
We are now able to provide local pick-up from our Northside location in Chicago. During certain periods we can offer curbside service as well. Contact us for more details hello@makokomodesign.com
Jan. 3, 2022
Exciting news in this new year. We are moving to a new location on Chicago’s Northside to add not just space but greater capacity for design and new product development. Additionally, this move will improve our fulfillment processes in getting products out into the world. You should see the benefits of this change in the coming weeks and months as we get settled in.
Dec. 2, 2021
Here’s another way to support local Chicago business this season. The folks from Manual and Fourneau have just opened an Albany Park retail store called Lines Shapes Solids. Check the link for holiday hours + location and go see the highly giftable goods in stock.
Dec. 1, 2021
If you are looking to support local Chicago businesses this holiday season, Renegade Craft is for you. Now in its 18th year, this event has become a tradition for makers and designers from the area. We are happy to be showing our products this year — our first time!— and will be live on Dec. 18-19 at Revel in Fulton Market. Please check the details at Renegade Craft regarding health and safety.
Nov. 21, 2021
We love this air plant suggestion that came out of a recent conversation with a customer. It’s evidence of the value inherent in these interactions. Each encounter presents new possibilities and potential. Let’s talk about it next time we meet.
Nov. 8, 2021
SHAKER DESIGN
“Don't make something unless it is both necessary and useful; but if it is both necessary and useful, don't hesitate to make it beautiful.” This commonly quoted philosophy of Shaker design inspires us and is echoed in most tenets of good and sustainable industrial design. Our Fat Pegs are inspired by traditional Shaker pegs which were used to organize and store a variety of objects and furniture in the home
These excellent hand renderings from The Book of Shaker Furniture were drawn by the author John Kassay (The University of Massachusetts Press ISBN 0-87023-275-4) Kassay himself was a skilled woodworker, was awarded a Purple Heart in WWII serving under Gen. Patton and taught for over thirty years, at San Francisco State University, where he was professor in the Department of Design and Industry.
Nov. 3, 2021
We will be participating for the first time in this year’s Renegade Craft event right here in Chicago. Started in 2003, this market has grown into an inspiring communal platform that’s powered by a community of independent artists and design enthusiasts. We will be sharing a booth with Hyun Yoo and OOM Ceramics so be sure to stop in and see what we’ve been up to. Check details for safety protocols and transportation.
Nov. 2, 2021
"If you look at a tree and think of it as a design assignment, it would be like asking you to make something that makes oxygen, sequesters carbon, fixes nitrogen, distills water, provides habitat for hundreds of species, accrues solar energy's fuel, makes complex sugars and food, changes colors with the seasons, creates microclimates, and self-replicates."
-William McDonough
Nov. 1, 2021
We are repositioning ourselves in relation to social media to better reflect our values. This means that you will see more news, updates and content here in our journal or on platforms that we feel are appropriate and managed responsibly. It also means that you will see more of us out in the physical world . The pandemic has forced us all to reevaluate our connections to people, places, and objects and we have deeply missed these interactions. Also, we deal in real objects and they are best experienced with hands-on. We are excited to see more of you in the coming year and will update you on our plans. Onward!
