“That’s my favorite part. We gave them something; we made them happy; we changed their day. They have a brighter outlook and did something different, and they were excited about it. That’s what drives me personally,” Jim said.
Elizabeth owns the Clay Bar Co. and its sister business, Potteryland Studio, which has been established in The Woodlands community for over 12 years. Jim is Elizabeth’s “not-so-silent” partner who helps run the business on the back end. The Garretts opened the Clay Bar Co. in March after seeing a need in the community for those who want to try pottery but cannot commit to a class.
“Both projects— Potteryland and Clay Bar—are passion projects. They were created based on a need for the community,” Elizabeth said. “We’ve taken an enormous risk, but we really believe in those concepts with God in front of everything.”
Potteryland caters to all audiences, they said; customers are able to buy pottery and decorate it to their liking. The Clay Bar Co. targets a more mature audience while still offering a family experience.
The Clay Bar Co.’s top-selling product is a “try-it” session, in which customers age 14 and older of all skill levels are able to learn how to use a pottery wheel. It also offers a hand-building session, where all ages are welcome, and a six-week pottery class. When customers walk into either store, they may find the Garretts’ two children working, adding to the environment of family, creativity and experience that the couple has worked to create.
“My son was 5 years old when we started; now he’s running the kiln room and working the floor. My daughter was 2 years old, and she’s been through every single season with us. For me, it was all about work and life balance—family and being able to be there with them,” Elizabeth said. “We started this business because, No. 1, we love family, and we’re both very creative individuals. When those things come together, magic happens.”
All classes are taught by instructors with several years of experience. The Garretts described both their customers and their employees as like family.
“People are the most important thing in any business,” Jim said. “There could be somebody in here that’s with their child, and it could be their last $40 that they decided to spend with their son or daughter. That’s huge to me. I take it personally. ... It’s a real privilege to be able to serve your community.”“There’s a lot of memories for the community that have come out of here. What you end up with is inconsequential because everything we do is perfectly imperfect,” he said.
Elizabeth said they strive to create memories for their customers.
“We don’t sell pottery; we sell an experience, a moment frozen in time. That’s the ultimate ‘why’ for us,” she said. “You gather, you connect and you create.”
Clay Bar Co.
1027 Sawdust Road, Ste. 200, The Woodlands
281-651-2015
www.theclaybar.co
Hours: Mon.-Thu. 11 a.m.-7 p.m., Fri.-Sat. 11 a.m.-9 p.m., Sun. 11 a.m.-6 p.m.
