The Clay Spot Acquires a New Owner; Expands Its Reach
Tuesday, October 15th, 2013
The Clay Spot, a paint-your-own pottery studio that has been a fixture in Albany for 15 years, acquired a new owner at the end of June – Stacie Porter Brown. Brown is the studio's fifth owner, a former marketing professional and a fine arts graduate.
"I think each owner has put their mark on it and improved upon it. I've been a customer in the past," Brown said.
"I had my son four years ago and the plates with his handprints that came from The Clay Spot are so special."
The Clay Spot offers a wide assortment of bisque – unglazed white ceramic ware – everything from plates and platters to figurines and switch plate covers. Customers choose a piece to paint, after which the piece is glazed and fired.
Reaching Out to Adults
"Kids are our bread and butter, of course," Brown said. "I also want to expand the business to reach adults. It's a great creative outlet for couples and friends. We just had our first Paint Late Friday when we extended our hours to 9 p.m. to reach more customers."
The studio is open Weds. through Sat. from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Paint Late Fridays are the first Friday of every month. On Saturday Oct. 19, The Clay Spot will officially celebrate its 15th anniversary with a Customer Appreciation Bash. All plates and platters will be 15 percent off. There will be 15 giveaways throughout the day, face painting as well as popcorn and drinks.
A Facebook Find
Brown was a friend of The Clay Spot on Facebook, which is where she first learned earlier this year that the business was for sale. When the business last changed hands in 2009, she thought then it would have been a great opportunity but she had just had her son and the timing was not right.
"When I saw the Facebook posting that it was for sale, I thought what's stopping me now," Brown said.
"I hired an accountant and lined up a banker and I prayed either open or close the doors. And they just kept opening."
Brown's offer for The Clay Spot was accepted and the process happened quickly. At the time, she was working in marketing at a local bank.
"I loved my job. But my husband is self-employed and he would come home at the end of the day and be so excited about what he'd accomplished. That's what I wanted," Brown said.
"Now I feel like I'm doing exactly what I'm supposed to be doing. I've never worked harder, but it is so rewarding."
More information on The Clay Spot is available at www.theclayspot.com or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/clayspot. Visit The Clay Spot at 2109 Dawson Road or call (229) 446-2229.
