10/11/2026
I am so heartbroken to hear the news of Steve Zago’s passing.
As founding co-owners of Lost Aviator Coffee Company, Steve and Adam extended their generosity to me three years ago when they invited me to be their “artist-in-residence” of sorts - to keep a shelf at their York Road cafe stocked with my pottery. They gave me the freedom to curate an additional shelf with rotating local artists so that they could give other small businesses a boost as well.
From the steady stream of sad farewell posts, it’s clear that Steve’s dedication to lifting up fellow entrepreneurs had a significant impact on those fortunate enough to be in his orbit, and on the community of Guelph as a whole.
In 2020, when I first started making pots decent enough to sell, Steve and his wife Holly were among the first who told me that the stuff I was making was cool and that I should keep doing it. This boost helped give me the confidence to continue to lean in, and I will be forever grateful for the support and opportunities Steve and the crew at Lost Aviator have provided me over the years.
You will be missed, Steve.
💙☕️✈️
