Partner Program Highlight: Cup of Wonder

A Cafe Built for Community

In June of 2025, Sarah, the owner of Cup of Wonder opened up her first cafe on the Main Street in Wonder Lake of McHenry County. In 2024, the building went for sale, and Sarah and Dan bought the property. In 2023, she was dreaming up what a cafe could look like and act like in her very own little community.

Previously that very year, Sarah was drinking coffee with her husband, the mayor of Wonder Lake, at Crystal Lakes, Aroma Cafe during a live music event. As they were enjoying their drinks and the intentionality behind slowing down with one another, they watched kids dancing and playing to the music. Seeing this sweet interaction among the kids and the space’s ability to create a community gathering space for the families, Sarah knew this is exactly what Wonder Lake needed: a place that acted as so much more than simply a cafe, a place to gather and build community together. Upon stating this, Sarah’s husband simply asked her, “What are you waiting for?”

So the search for a building began. They looked for a while, and eventually, their building that is now commercially zoned but started as a house became available. Sarah shared that they put a lot of work and love into the building, which I easily believed because, walking in, it feels like the perfect place to sit and read while feeling wholly welcomed. It’s a small town treasure where you can spend your mornings tucked away, and the weather can do whatever it wants, but you’d be inside on the vintage couch or in the big armchairs next to the fireplace, so it wouldn’t affect you one bit. It might even add to the atmosphere.

When you walk into Cup of Wonder, that distinct atmosphere is undeniably palpable. There is an immediate sense of warmth, comfort, and community focus that radiates throughout the entire establishment — the kind of energy that feels like home — and that energy is what makes it feel so special. That, and the fact that Sarah had built personal relationships with about 75% of her customers, and the other 25% were referrals from someone else who visited regularly. Over the past year, Cup of Wonder has become a place for the village people to come and chat, grab their morning coffee or tea, and build relationships — and that is completely intentional. The sense of community and authenticity that Sarah has brought to Wonder Lake through her business simply speaks to her genuine enthusiasm for operating an establishment where people and genuine connection are at the center of everything she does, and it shows.

More Than Just a Coffee Shop

As a village, Wonder Lake is home to about 3,500 people, a grocery store, a handful of restaurants and bars, a marina, a bike shop, a few local farms, and now, with the help of Sarah and Dan, a coffee shop right in the center of town. When I asked Sarah why she wanted to open Cup of Wonder, the answer was simple and wholesome: “I just want really good things for Wonder Lake, and one way to do that is to give back”. To aid in these efforts, her cafe features a ‘pay it forward’ board right next to the menu. Here, the community can support and buy one another drinks or goods. They also like to give back to the people who have impacted their community — they take care of first responders, teachers, nonprofits, and community members in need. Around the corner there is a ‘community connection’ whiteboard with all sorts of local businesses and community groups for people to visit and use. They have proven themselves to be more than just a business — they are an establishment that prioritizes humanity.

Sarah explained that even before the idea of the cafe, she was always helping to build community in her town. She has friends with little ones, and noted that young moms often had no place to meet up or get out, so to help out, she aided in the search for a meeting place. Now, Cup of Wonder fills that necessity by hosting a moms meet-up and play called “Tiny Wonders” every Tuesday. The cafe has also hosted karaoke nights for the community and stays open late on Friday evenings in order to support the town's water ski team, which is nationally ranked, and runs shows in the summertime. Around the holidays, you will even find a giving tree to help seniors who are all alone. Sarah shares that she would love to serve more people in need, and prioritizes those who give back to the community.

A Shared Love for Local

Another highly important and often overlooked aspect of Sarah’s business (and ours!) is their use of local coffee and milk. They also sell local Apothecary Tea and fresh flower bouquets from Roisin Gardens. The milk comes from a local farm, Cow Valley Creamery, which Sarah passes by each day on her way home, where she can see the exact cows from which her milk is produced.

A Perfect Match

When I began to ask the simple, “why Tala?” Sarah quickly chimed in, saying, “I'm so glad you asked!”

Before her cafe-owning journey began, Sarah had some bloodwork done in Skokie. The tests required fasting for 12 hours, and naturally, after 12 hours of fasting and many samples taken, Sarah and her sister pulled up maps to find a coffee shop close by. There wasn’t a better way to end a fast, especially at 10 a.m. When Tala Winnetka popped up as a suggestion, they quickly made their way over. Once they arrived, Sarah ordered a hot oat milk latte, proclaimed it to be the best she’s ever had (making sure to note that this proclamation was not due to the fasting), and decided that from that point on, Tala would be her coffee supplier when her own cafe came to life — and the rest is history!

Sarah stands by her original statement that, to this day, that oat milk latte was the best she’s ever had, and now, her own customers love it as well. She is proud to serve our coffee as one of the only vendors and users of Tala in McHenry County. “It is special to us!” She continues on Tala as a whole, “literally everyone is so welcoming; even Aidan and Hannah (who help with Tala’s delivery) come in like clockwork. When you order, they come. There’s always a friendly little chat, and it’s exactly what we like to be as Cup of Wonder, is’s kind of like how we feel when we receive from Tala, the community, and the kindness and the being welcoming.”

We’re so grateful to partner with a business like Cup of Wonder, where coffee is about so much more than what’s in the cup. Sarah and Dan have created a space rooted in connection, kindness, and a genuine love for their community, and we’re proud to be a small part of it. If you find yourself in Wonder Lake, be sure to stop by Cup of Wonder, grab a latte, and experience this little community treasure for yourself!