New craft supply company stands out by focusing on collaborations

In some ways, it’s the perfect time to launch a craft supplies company — given the pandemic-driven boom for activities from baking to biking to crafting.

Maker Forte is capitalizing on that surge. The company, based in east Manatee County in University Park, launched this September, and CEO and Managing Partner Alexandra Stapleton-Smith says it was a fantastic fall for the firm. The company has a base of customers and already received reorders for some products. “Covid has meant that more people are crafting,” says Stapleton-Smith, a crafter her whole life.