Today we’d like to introduce you to Stephanie Sloop.
Hi Stephanie, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I took a ceramics class in college at GVSU but didn’t really do anything with it. During lockdown my husband and I got hooked on The Great Pottery Throwdown! I decided to take a class and then I took another…and another. I asked if the studio I was taking classes at was hiring and it turns out they were! After almost a year of working in the studio, I wanted to branch out on my own and make my own vision come true. It took over a year but we finally opened our doors in October 2025!!
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
After our Grand Opening in Jan of 2025 we had to close our doors until October because of some unexpected construction that needed to be done! So that was not the easiest to deal with.
Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
The Clayground is a pottery studio in Grand Rapids. We offer one-time experiences in either hand building or wheel throwing that last an hour and a half; perfect for a fun night out with friends, date night, and private parties! We offer 6 week classes that are a more in-depth education in either wheel throwing or hand building. From wedging to glazing, students learn the entire clay process during class. The last thing we offer is membership. Right now we’re approaching 35 members who have free use of most large studio equipment! The staff handles all of the firing but the rest of the studio is available to use.
I’m very focused on making the studio a great place for our members to be. I want to create space for a community to grow and I think that the growth is happening! We’ve had a few events where some of our members come to the studio on a Sunday to hang out and do an activity together; clay based or otherwise! It’s just been great to see it all come together and I hope to continue to foster that sense of community.
Let’s talk about our city – what do you love? What do you not love?
There are a lot of things I like about GR! I love the size of the city. Coming from Chicago, GR seems much more managable. But it still has a ton to offer. My husband and I love seeing the touring Broadway shows that come to DeVos and that feels like a “big city” thing to have. There are endless options for food and enterntainment, it seems.
Pricing:
- $55 a person for 1.5 hr workshop
- $80 a month for membership (with 3 month commitment)
- $275 6-Week Classes
Contact Info:
- Website: https://claygroundgr.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theclaygroundgr/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61556448542331
