Sudbury chocolatier hoping to be part of downtown revitalization

Sudbury chef Tammy Maki is re-inventing herself in the middle of a pandemic.

Part of that process includes bringing her business Raven Rising to a historic building in Sudbury's downtown core.

The Salteaux Ojibway woman, who grew up in Sudbury, had just launched a pastry consulting business before COVID hit. But that idea died at the prospect of COVID travel restrictions and trying to ship pastries to customers.

So she founded Raven Rising, an on-line business that creates and sells fine chocolates. She is now opening a retail space at 66 Cedar the former entrance to the Capitol Theatre so online customers can pick up their orders.

"Sudbury has been my home for my entire life," Maki said. "My family is here, my soon to be six grandchildren are here, and no matter where I am, no matter how beautiful anywhere is, I miss Sudbury, I miss the lakes, I miss the trees, just the beauty of this place."

Opening up a small storefront will also allow her to contribute to a revitalization of the city's downtown, which has come under difficult times, Maki said.

"I grew up when the downtown core was just popping and it was the place to be," she said. "Sudbury will never be what it used to be, but it can be something different and vibrant and beautiful, and it can be definitely more than it is right now, so I'm hoping in some small way I can be a part of that."

The location Makichose to set up shophas a long history in Sudbury.

The former Capitol Theatre operated as a cinema between the 1930s up to its closure in the 1980s. For a short time in the mid-80s, it was converted to a bingo hall.

"It just inspires me to want to work in that space," Maki said. "I want to be in a space that inspires me."

"I've always had a major affinity for any sort of historic buildingand this is as close to heritage as Sudbury has."

She added that she won't be gutting the interior, which includes the theatre's original flooring and ornate trim along the ceiling.

"I'm not going to be refurbishing it to become a theater, but I am going to be respecting it," Maki said. "And filling it again with some smells, beautiful chocolate smells and hopefully a lot of happiness and positivity."