Dearest ones,

 

It is with the heaviest of hearts that we announce that our physical location is now closed. 

 

We will, however, remain in business through our online store and mobile operations and remain optimistic in regards to re-opening in another venue when the time is right.  Please take a few minutes to watch the following message and skim the related F.A.Q. section below. 

 

We thank you from the bottom of our glitter-encrusted hearts for 6 years of colorful memories, and we hope you'll stay tuned for what's to come.

 

Thank you!

 

Melissa Mudd, Ross Comer,

and team makeme

Frequently asked questions

Why are you closing your physical studio?

Like you, we’ve suffered significant losses during these last few months. Our doors have been closed since mid-March as it’s been illegal for groups of 10 or more to gather. We’ve had to cancel numerous birthday parties, workshops, and events. We haven’t yet received any grants or the support we requested and we’re hoping for from our landlord. Though we’ve pivoted to providing kits, it’s become increasingly clear that even with the addition of this alternative income stream we won’t be able to recoup our losses.

We had hoped and prayed to ride it out until the summer but can no longer absorb the costs associated with keeping the doors of our 2,000-square-foot space open—not without support (what would this mean to your clients?) and a path we have confidence in moving forward. We thought “things would be figured out” by summer, but as May flies by, it’s becoming ever more apparent that this is not the case. We’ve talked to many of our customers and understand and empathize with their concerns about sending their children out into this “brave new world.”

Businesses such as ours are still restricted as scientists and government officials hash out the safest path forward—especially as it relates to the safety of our kiddos. Preliminary phases of re-opening will likely include operating at 25% capacity, maintaining distancing measures, and sanitizing the heck out of everything constantly.

But, have you ever been in an art room? Have you ever been around children? We love ‘em, but you know they’re squirmy and germy (as well as wonderful). To successfully adhere to these requirements, we’d need to hire more staff just to keep up with cleaning procedures alone—on less than a quarter of our normal income

It’s just not sustainable. Even if it was, where would we find a reliable supply of disinfectants? We love our community too much to allow our business, and the children and adults we host, to become guinea pigs. And we love our family too much to put them through the financial hardship of incurring additional debt just to keep the lights on. So it’s time for us to think about what’s next.



What's next for the studio?

Though we are terminating our lease, we are not closing our business. Instead, we are pivoting to mobile operations. For now makeme will be offering kits and mobile parties through our adorable vintage camper ( Crafty Clementine) throughout the summer. We are also working on plans for new creative collaborations and pop ups and a potential re-opening in a new venue this winter (fingers crossed!)



What can I do to help?

We so appreciate your loyal patronage over the past 6 year and thank you for your patience and support as we navigate the logistics of this unbelievably difficult decision. There have already been a lot of sleepless nights and tears and there will be more in the weeks ahead. If we’ve had a positive impact on your life we want to hear about it! PLEASE email us and share your favorite makeme stories and pics to help keep us going through these sad times. Additionally, if you feel inclined to support us through this time we encourage you to share this message, purchase kits, or consider making a donation to the lend-a-hand fund we’ve set up to help cover our expenses and hopefully eventually re-open.



Will you still have kits available?

Absolutely! We will be pausing delivery and shipping for about a week to allow us time to pack our studio and prepare for our move but you can definitely still order! We have awesome self-contained art experiences for both kids and adults in our kits already listed and have MANY plans for more - including sewing projects, watercolor and beginning drawing lessons, macrame, weaving, paint-by-number, and more! We are also launching summer camp crates beginning in early June (see related FAQ below). Be sure you open our email newsletters when we send them so you’re kept abreast of new offerings as they become available. If you aren’t on our mailing list you can opt in here.



Will you still host parties or teach classes?

Yes! Even though we will be without a physical location for at least the next several months we can still teach! In fact, our crafty camper (Miss Clementine) is the PERFECT “venue” for small gatherings. She comfortably seats 8. We can also set up mobile art events in a location of your choosing. With 15 years experience and 350+ parties under our belt you can rest assured that we’ll keep pARTyin’! Drop us a line to let us know your event idea!



What about summer camps? What are “camp crates”?

So what does that mean for camps? Simply put, we will not be offering in-person camps this year. We are, however, offering completely inclusive art experiences delivered to your door with our new summer “camp crates”. We’ve worked extra hard to translate the projects and instructions your child would receive face-to-face in studio into a “plug and play” format you can use at home. Each box will include all supplies and video instruction to create 5-7 enriching and entertaining projects and activities - with little to no adult support. That’s enough for at least one project a day for a week! The lessons are thoughtfully and professionally designed with the needs of both the kiddos and parents in mind - so that you can finally get some work done at home (or entertain the kiddos with a sitter). For those of you who have pre-registered for camps will have the option of receiving two crates in exchange for your pre-registration -- OR 1) one box and a partial refund or 2) a full refund. Please submit this form by May 25 to let us know your preferences. This will allow us to have everyone's choices in one spot and will save us from a deluge of email and phone calls that might get lost in the shuffle.



How do camp crates work?

We’ve designed “crates” (boxes) which include supplies and activities for each camp theme. Each lesson will be connected to instruction (most with video) which guides your kiddo through the process of artmaking. Camp crates will be available for local delivery or free pick up in St. Pete (location TBA) the thursday & friday before the camp was scheduled to begin. Additionally we’ll be offering a 25% discount for those who preorder kits prior to June 1st. Find out more about each camp crate by clicking their details below. CAMP THEME | PICK UP DATES Fierce & Fin-tastic - May 28-28 A Royal Ruckus - June 4-5 Messy & Express-y - June 11-2 Magical & Make Believe - June 18-19 ARTchitects - June 25-26 Lovely Lettering - July 2-3 Good Enough to Eat - July 9-10 Outta this World - July 16-17 Fantastic Fiction - July 23-24 Masterpiece Makers - July 30-31



What about cancelled classes or parties?

If your class or party was cancelled during the quarantine period (March 20-present) please let us know your preferences for exchanges or refunds here by May 25. We will offer a complimentary rescheduling with our mobile studio for private events. Contact us here.



What about gift cards?

All remaining gift card and studio credit balances will be forwarded to our online store.



Are you getting rid of any supplies or fixtures?

We will likely be downsizing significantly and will be looking to let go of several things. We will post items for sale and donation on our facebook page, so be sure you follow us there.



Are you selling any original artworks or class examples?

We will be selling many class examples and original artworks. They’ll be listed here as they become available.



I have a question that isn’t listed here - how do I contact you?

We implore you to send your inquiries via email for the most timely and accurate response. We aren’t staffed to attend to multiple channels of questions simultaneously during this time (i.e. fb and instagram messages, phone calls, and texts) and want to have a record of your question so that we don’t lose it. We thank you in advance for any delays in response time and you promise we’ll get back to you as soon as we can.