Let your creative juices flow at The Craft Studio — a hot spot in the neighborhood for artistic expression. This welcoming studio is a creative space for people of all ages. With over 50 crafting options for all ages and customizable workshops and parties, the possibilities are boundless.
We had the opportunity to talk with owner Lindsey Peers about her journey and the growth of The Craft Studio. Read more below!
DBP: What’s the story behind The Craft Studio; how did it all get started?
Lindsey Peers (LP): It’s such a cool story, The Craft Studio first opened in 1994 on the upper east side, and I stumbled upon it in 2002 when I was looking for a third part-time job. I just fell in love with it. I worked there as much as I could and had tons of ideas about how the business could expand, create new workshops, and generally do more. When I presented my ideas to the manager, she asked me if I wanted to buy the business! I was 21 with student loans and no money but we found a way to make it happen, and I slowly worked off the cost. Now I’ve been here for almost 21 years.
DBP: Tell us about the programming at The Craft Studio?
LP: We serve kids as young as 18 months, up to adults of all ages. We just hosted an adult workshop where participants painted small plant pots. There are so many different programs that we offer but we are probably most well-known for our parties – they’re so fun and creative.
Any time we’re open people can come in and participate. There’s no time limit, you don’t have to be a member, and there’s no fee beyond the price of the project you choose. There are over 50 projects to choose from and all are designed to be taken home the day-of, so customers don’t have to come back and pick anything up. We run classes and workshops, and host after school classes in the studio as well as off-site programs in local schools.
DBP: What is your mission?
We want to create an experience where people come in, enjoy themselves, and are present with the projects and supplies. Whether a toddler or adult, we want them to have the best time in our open, creative space. Our mottos are “perfect is boring,” and, “there are no mistakes in art.” The Craft Studio is a no pressure space that can be a creative outlet for everyone. Even the interior was created by a beautiful collaboration of artists. Friends and family literally built the studio and did all the painting and decorations for the walls.
DBP: Why Downtown Brooklyn?
LP: In 2017, we expanded from the upper east side to our second location in Tribeca. Around that time tons of people started inquiring about studio space and asking us for to-go parties in Brooklyn. I also started spending a lot of time in the Downtown Brooklyn area and fell in love with it. There are so many families in this neighborhood, and I felt there was a market for more kids programming. As soon as our business was back on track after the pandemic I started looking at spaces in Brooklyn and felt this area was the perfect location. Being on a commercial corridor, we can easily serve more families who are from multiple neighborhoods as opposed to some of the other spots I was looking at that were on the side streets. We opened here in late February 2023, and it’s been awesome – the community is so great.
I think we’ve already forged a lot of great relationships with the Downtown Brooklyn community. We had a really amazing opening day where we had a great time with all of our local vendors and got tons of drop-ins from people walking by. That exposure allowed us to tell people about what we offer and to extend free class trials to new customers. We have seen a lot of those people return again and again and everyone tells us tell what a great addition The Craft Studio has been to the neighborhood and express interest in us being a part of the local after school programs.
If you’re looking for a way to relax and express your creativity, you’ll find a haven in The Craft Studio. Their expansive offerings of programs and projects is bringing the joy of creation and freedom of expression to Downtown Brooklyn. Stop in or sign up for one of their programs, Lindsey and the team can’t wait to host you!
