Ceramic Cafe in Overland Park marks 25 years of ‘selling memories’
Ceramic Cafe, a local paint-your-own-pottery and glass fusing studio, is celebrating 25 years of being in business this month.
The upshot: Sara Thompson opened Ceramic Cafe in the the Ranch Mart North shopping center in November 1997 after seeing a similar concept while on vacation in California.
Since then, Thompson has enjoyed years of watching customers make memories and de-stress in the studio.
Key quote: “We’re not selling pottery, we’re selling experiences and memories more than anything,” Thompson said.
Community connection: Customers have supported the local shop over the years, including through COVID-19, Thompson added.
She says Ceramic Cafe has tried to repay their customers — and the greater community — in kind, over the past quarter century.
That includes an annual gnome hunt where customers make small gnomes out of clay for free, and Ceramic Cafe hides the fired gnomes at parks.
People who find the gnomes can bring them back to the studio to paint for free.
Ceramic Cafe also gives mugs to Kansas City Hospice House and hosts painting parties at schools and churches, Thompson said.
What they’re saying: “Our goal is really to be involved in the community and give back,” Thompson said. “I think that’s why we’re still here 25 years later. We’re not in it just because we’re a business, we’re in it because we love the concept, we love doing it.”
Visiting Ceramic Cafe
Above, Thompson sits in the Santa chair ahead of Breakfast with Santa. Photo credit Juliana Garcia
Ceramic Cafe, which moved from its original location to 9510 Nall Avenue in 2017, is open every day of the week, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Monday, Tuesday and Saturday; from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Wednesday thorugh Friday; and from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday.
Thompson said $25 gift cards will be given to people who spend $50 now until the end of the year.
The art studio also hosts events like kids club on Thursdays.
Another thing: Ceramic Cafe is putting on a “Breakfast with Santa” on Dec. 4, and Thompson said slots are still open for 8 a.m. and 10 a.m.
Sign up for Breakfast with Santa online here.
It is $35 for the first child and $25 for each additional child, each of whom gets to paint an ornament, eat breakfast and interact with Santa.
