Winona's Creative Spark: A Makerspace Story with Mark Zocher

At a recent Make48 competition, we had the pleasure of meeting Mark Zocher. Mark was an invaluable volunteer throughout the weekend, quietly serving as a judge at the Winona-Southeast competition—a role he impressively kept under wraps from teams and tool techs alike!

Make48 connected with Mark through his ambitious passion project: the Winona Creators Collective. Slated to open in late 2025, this upcoming nonprofit hub and makerspace aims to ignite new art, business, and educational opportunities in Winona, Minnesota. We sat down with Mark to discuss what ignited his passion for makerspaces, why Winona is the perfect home for this new initiative, and how his Make48 experience is shaping his vision.

Building the Collective

Mark's journey into the makerspace world began while living in San Diego, where he discovered the joy of transforming IKEA cabinets into unique furniture using a laser engraver. “I got hooked at that point,” he recalls. This initial spark led him and his wife on a cross-country tour of makerspaces, observing how each adapted to its local community's unique needs.

Upon settling in Winona, a town rich in history with strong roots in lumber, manufacturing, and a vibrant arts scene, Mark felt an undeniable pull to establish a makerspace. He noticed a gap: while Winona boasted a thriving arts community with organizations like the River Arts Alliance and the Winona Arts Center, resources for aspiring artists and those looking to learn new crafts were scarce. “My wife wanted to take a drawing class, and there really wasn't anything in town,” he explains. “I loved all the stained glass that gets made in Winona, and there wasn't any place where you could take a stained glass class.”

Beyond the arts, Mark saw potential for economic development. Winona is home to industry giants like Fastenal, a Fortune 500 company that started from humble beginnings. He believes a makerspace can foster the next generation of Winona businesses and support existing manufacturers. Mark even penned a letter to the local paper, advocating for a makerspace, which garnered significant community support.

Mark Zocher at Make48-Winona 2025 Competition

This led to the formation of a core team with diverse motivations: an astronomy professor seeking tinkering resources, a VP from Willet Studios looking for recruitment tools to attract talent to Winona, and a woodworker craving a dedicated space for her craft. As Mark puts it, “The makerspace we're making is more like probably six or eight makerspaces that are just all working together because we all have these different passions and things.”

The Winona Creators Collective is making significant strides. They've assembled a six-member board of directors and successfully formed their nonprofit. While awaiting their 501(c)(3) status, they're actively searching for a physical location. Mark shared, “We did go hunting... and did come across a place, with 22,000 sq. ft., that we think is going to be a big fit.” Their fundraising efforts have already secured around $36,000, with a goal of raising an additional $165,000 to equip the space. They're meeting with architects, city planners, and building inspectors to finalize the space.

Even before opening their doors, the Collective is actively engaging the community. “We’re going to go hard this summer and bring in enough members to be able to cover the bills. Hopefully, we will move in September and open by November. We're trying to also stay active in the community even before we have our space.” They're planning pottery painting nights, partnering with local breweries, and have even taken over the popular Fix It Clinics, which offer free repairs for household items, keeping a lot of waste out of landfills.

Tools for Creation: What to Expect

The Winona Creators Collective envisions a comprehensive array of tools and specialized areas. Expect the classic woodworking and metal shops, and given Winona's artistic leanings, a ceramics and pottery area with pottery wheels and a stained glass studio are high on the list. Mark is particularly excited about the possibility of including a forge for blacksmithing, a unique and often inaccessible art form.

Beyond tools, the makerspace will offer small conference rooms with feature walls to facilitate video content creation, acknowledging the importance of marketing and presentation, a lesson reinforced by Make48's emphasis on one-minute pitch videos. As Mark explains, “In a way, marketing your prototype is just as critical as making the prototype.  I think Make48 has got that pretty down pat with everyone having to do a one-minute video.”

While specific membership models are still being refined, the Collective is committed to equitable access. They plan to offer a Founders Club for early supporters who commit to a year-long membership. They're also exploring options like night and weekend memberships for those with full-time jobs, and reduced rates for students and seniors.

The makerspace will also feature a co-working space and potentially a tool library for community members. “We think that there's going to be something for everybody, whether they're a business that's got a full membership or somebody that's just dropping in for one class or a day pass,” Mark explains. He envisions the makerspace as a vital contributor to Winona's economic development and innovation. With three colleges in town, Mark hopes to retain more graduates by offering engaging opportunities. The Collective is actively seeking partnerships with local businesses and manufacturers to support their initiatives, from furniture donations to microgrants for supplies.

Make48's Influence

Mark's experience at Make48 made him look at his approach to the Winona Creators Collective. Beyond observing tool setups, he was struck by Make48's holistic approach to rapid prototyping. “It wasn't a matter of just, 'Oh, here's the tool, go!" he notes. Instead, teams were guided through the entire process, consulting with industry experts and patent attorneys. “The idea of what Make48 does in 48 hours through a neat competition, there are a lot of those components that make sense for somebody that does want to start a business,” Mark asserts. He aims to provide resources for individuals to make their dreams a reality, whether they're developing a prototype or starting a business.

Judges panel (l to r): Brent Roeder (Fastenal), Mark Zocher (Winona Creators Collective) and Haley Schadt (Fastenal)

Mark's time at Make48 was undeniably positive. He relished the opportunity to be surrounded by passionate individuals—competitors, audience members, and organizers alike—all united by a desire to foster innovation and creativity. “Everyone had a smile,” he reflects. “Everyone was pretty excited as you got to work with them.”

The Winona Creators Collective, under Mark Zocher's leadership, is poised to become a transformative force in Winona, empowering individuals, fostering creativity, and driving economic growth. If you want to keep up with the Collective and get involved, visit https://www.winonacreators.org/getinvolved/. We look forward to seeing this exciting vision come to life!