It's been a dream of mine for years to open a store. I imagined this store would be an emporium of ceramic supplies where you can come with all your clay questions and my wonderful staff and I can help you along your clay journey. Since opening just over two months ago a roller coaster of emotions and a lot of mahi from friends and family, this dream has become a reality.
The store simply didn't feel real up until the point where we were putting in large orders for clay, raw materials, underglazes and stains while making final touches on the fit-out. It had been an abstract idea floating around which prep work had been done for yet still felt so far off in the distance.
The space is imagined to be your one-stop pottery supply shop. We've had the absolute privilege to be working with the best suppliers all around New Zealand to hunt down everything you need to make your best pottery; we'll have clay, pottery tools, stain, underglazes, glazes, raw materials, bats, sponges, and everything you can think of that is remotely related to making pottery. Come in to talk all details about ceramics with our amazing staff and I'll be in every Wednesday.
Alongside our ceramic supply emporium we are lucky enough to be able to celebrate our own Mystery Creek Ceramics. This space is very special - all our furniture is custom made and handcrafted to showcase our ceramics en-mass. The vision for the space is a riot of colour in which you select your favourite item (or items) to take home as a reminder of the experience and to celebrate small moments of peace every day.
Our nerikomi range has gotten out of control with 14 different colours and 26 different shapes; it's impossible to keep them all in stock but fortunately we like a challenge around here. We opened in style with the checkered pattern available in every colour (in our world, rainbow is itself a colour) - these pieces won't be restocked until after Christmas so you'll have to be in quick for these!
The opening went off with a bang! A giant party was held on the 18th of August which so many of you attended - we felt super celebrated and supported in this exciting stage of the journey. Following the opening party we had the mega annual seconds sale on Sunday the 20th with lines out the door.
We've also been celebrating the very talented Brogan Houghton with her recently designed collaborative range and her own pottery - think bubble tumblers, a cheerful contemporary colour palette, and playful yet refined shapes. Her personal range of pottery keeps expanding in forms and colour (now in a gorgeous tangerine, soft lime, sorbet pink, sunflower yellow and olive green) and we can't wait for her pieces to take over more shelves as they continue to develop.
The last two months of being open have gone by in the blink of an eye and we're thrilled that the rest of the MADE vicinity have an opening date (Nov 4th) which is creeping up so fast. We're loving getting to know our customers in person and hearing about your own creative endeavors - so many inspiring
This opportunity to have a store wouldn't be possible without MADE Hamilton East and Stark Property. They have welcomed us into one of their sheds (despite how it sounds, it's very nice I assure you) and the larger MADE Hamilton East vicinity. We are thrilled to be sharing space in this inspirational complex and with so many amazing local businesses.
It also wouldn't be possible without my wonderful staff and the extensive support team that exists behind Mystery Creek Ceramics. Thank you to my family and friends who have made this possible, I promise the repetitive 'you can do it' speeches were a very necessary part of the process.
This journey wouldn't have been made possible without all our amazing customers, so last but in no way least, thank you.
