Paintin’ Pottery and Bead It Provides Therapy and Entertainment to Customers
By: Felicia Clark
Carolyn Caffrey saw a need for entertainment and art therapy in the De Pere
area and decided to open a business that would provide customers the materials
to become an artist for a day. Paintin’ Pottery or Bead It has survived the ups and
downs of the economy for 12 years now.
Caffrey said customers do not have to be an artist to participate and that
when they leave, they should feel a sense of accomplishment.
“I know that when I talk to people about their art and when they made their
clay pot in grade school, most everybody still has it and when they dig it out, they
smile,” she said.
Paintin’ Pottery strives to provide its customers with tools, materials and
guidance to create their art on a walk-in basis.
“What you do with your art by the time you leave is what they’re thinking
about at that moment,” she said. “They’ve got a saying they want to put on it, so
you’re taking something from your heart and you’re bringing it out and you’re
putting it in your art.”
The business also recognizes creating art as a type of therapy.
“No one is telling you how to do it or what to do … and that’s good because
we are challenged everyday with what other people want us to do,” she said. “Now
you can do it the way you want to do it.”
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The bead retail side of the business supported the painting pottery portion
and the growth of the company in general.
“With the bead retail, I was able to sustain the business because there wasn’t
a lot of that kind of retail in the area where kids could come in and do things too,”
Caffrey said.
Painting Pottery grew quickly during the first 5 years and expanded their
space multiple times without having to move to a different location.
“Someone would move out of a space and we’d move into it. As things
changed in the building, we grew,” she said.
The store began with only about 700 square feet of space. Eventually they
were able to take over the backroom and then the old dance studio on the right side.
Caffrey said she has seven to eight employees working to help guide customers
throughout the day. Paintin’ Pottery is now open every day of the week to stay
flexible for working families.
“I just feel there are more working moms during the day so we needed to
have some customers during the week, too,” she said.
Paintin’ Pottery also added a vintage-style coffee shop so customers can grab
a beverage for inspiration while they work.
* * *
THIS MONTH: Paintin’ Pottery or Bead It offers a Mother’s Day gift idea
made with your child’s thumbprint impression in silver charms.
Other services: Paintin’ Pottery or Bead It also offers walk-in beading
projects, including glass beading and bead classes; mosaic art; paint your own
pottery; Ladies Night Thursday where women can bring wine for a social outing;
bachelorette or birthday parties and other celebrations; Girl Scout events; and a
new coffee shop.
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