THE FOLLOWING IS A NEWS-GAZETTE STORY BY JENNIFER BAILEY
DANVILLE — Anytime a new food location opens in the city, it’s a big deal for residents. Pair it with a unique play cafe for children in the cooped-up winter months, and it’s drawing even more attention.
It’s a business idea that’s been about two-and-a-half years in the making for Ethan Burt, who said it arose out of a desire to give back to the city that he and wife Bethany have adopted as their home for the past 12 years.
The Hoopeston native and former Danville City Council member and his wife, originally from Wellington, opened Revel Bakery & Play Cafe at the end of December at Towne Center in downtown Danville. Their 6-year-old son, Jack, has been welcoming patrons and playing with the other kids with the farm and other play tables.
About a month in, Ethan says he’s happy with the successes it’s seen so far.
The cafe is located a few doors doors down from Bethany’s BURTco. Photo studio in the strip mall at 2 E. Main St., across from the Vermilion County Courthouse.
The new bakery and play cafe have already been drawing local employees from the courthouse, CCMSI and other downtown businesses for breakfast and lunch. There’s something for everyone, including house-made Danishes, croissants and croissant sandwiches; salads; cookies and other goodies; and coffee and drink selections.
Ethan said his family’s life choices changed when Bethany, who has since recovered, had health issues in the past. They did wedding photography for a long time, and in April 2024, she opened her studio in Towne Centre. She also homeschools Jack.
That left Ethan wondering what else he was going to do.
“I love children, little ones, and I was thinking what I could do to pursue that passion,” he said, adding when he first met his wife, he was going to be a physician assistant while she was going to be a nurse.
Ethan said he was interested in the health-and-wellness side of things and thought about going into pediatrics, but knew how long of a road that would be.
He then thought opening a brick-and-mortar business would be nice to get more connected to the community. While trying to decide what could be beneficial, and what Danville lacked, he realized there really aren’t a lot of “second spaces” for children to go to other than home.
He said the library is great, but it comes with limitations, and while there’s a lot of “third spaces” for adults to hang out at other than home and work, those aren’t designed with children in mind.
“Play cafe was the first (idea of) that’s what I’m going to do,” he said.
As time passed, opportunities came along, and the vision grew to a bakery and play cafe.
“I wanted a fusion, where instead of a place that’s just for kids and now the parents are waiting, or it’s for the parents and the kids are waiting, a place that would be for both,” Ethan said. “And more than that, an opportunity for actual with-ness, where instead of like the parents in the waiting room while there’s martial arts or dance or something, they’re not with each other.
“They might be together technically … whereas this type of play, it’s pretty accessible for anybody to just sit there and accept a faked baked good from a little one — ‘Oh, that’s delicious, thank you’ — and then they’re back, and they’re happy,” he said. “They feel like they interacted with you, they feel with you, and you’re able to still carry on a conversation with who you’ve come with.”
He wants the bakery and play cafe to help people slow down, hang out, interact and to get to know one another. Over the years, he envisions new friendships and bonds forming among his customers.
Ethan said the Towne Centre site was the fourth location he and his wife looked at, with the previous ones falling out for one reason or another. For instance, they came close to opening as part of a multi-tenant project in the former Turk Furniture building — demo had started and they were a week out from starting construction — but then a silent partner to the developer wanted out.
But he said they feel like everything worked out for the best.
The Towne Centre space is designed with the play space for children — including a play kitchen, farm table, books, table-top games and sitting area — in the back, and the bakery — with a grab-and-go market section, merchandise and games to purchase, and adult seating areas — toward the front.
“Our space is really well suited for like (ages) 2 to 8,” Ethan said.
About the name, he said: “It’s an altar to the Lord. And I love to serve.
“Revel is an invitation to revel in creation, revel in good things, revel in community,” he added. “To not just keep sprinting through and doing what’s necessary and working hard.
“I find children to be quite magical creatures. One of the things children do without thinking is revel. They’re in a constant state of merrymaking. That’s the more literal expression of the word.”
He said when as transplants to Danville, he and his wife have found the people to be very kind and generous to them, and he thinks it’s the perfect place to raise a family and own a business.
“A lot of people seem to struggle in reveling in Danville,” he said, and he hopes his mission is infectious to some degree.
Bethany is similarly enthused about their new venture.
“It’s truly a dream come true,” she added. “We’re finally living the reality. It looks the way that we dreamed.”
She said the biggest compliment they’ve received is that the business feels homey and welcoming.
Revel, at 2 E. Main St., Suite 114, is open 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. Wednesday through Friday and 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on weekends. It is closed on Mondays and Tuesdays. The intention is to expand the hours, Ethan said.
The business has 10 employees and a pastry chef, Tamara Aardsma. Ethan said the only issue so far has been keeping up with demand for their house-made items.
A grand opening could occur in February.
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