I had an amazing experience at The Pottery Place in Albany, NY! This charming studio offers a…read morefantastic selection of pre-made pottery to paint, along with helpful guidance for beginners. The staff was incredibly friendly and patient, and I ended up having a really great time The atmosphere was so relaxing, and the studio was clean and well-organized. I loved that I could take my time painting my piece, the turn around time for firing and glazing was quite quick--my finished mug turned out even better than I imagined

The people who work there have no idea had to work with older adults or children…read more The explanation of the paints was so fast and not really in a way either group could understand No one offered help or explanation at the tables Obviously these people are burnt out and should get different jobs The expense would be worth it if there was any kind of enthusiasm offered I had the same bag issue but I can live with that My grandkids loved the final product but I would never repeat or recommend this experience

I'm happy to support this local, family-owned business, not only for the aforementioned reasons but…read morealso because their employees are both knowledgeable and helpful. I tend to come in to have prints matted and/or framed. Archival materials are the norm. The staff will also mat to ready-made frame sizes or custom. Their training also makes choosing mats easier. "Do you want bright white or eggshell white?" "Let's look at them together." Additionally, they offer to amend things that I didn't notice. A print I asked to have matted and framed was slightly curved. I was assured the print would be flattened prior to being matted and framed so it would sit more snugly. I'm sure most customers would appreciate that attention to detail. Here's to hoping this establishment continues to provide goods and services to this community for a long time to come.

This store has been around for years and always has a great selection of products. My mom loves…read moreadult coloring books and comes here to stock up on assorted color pencils. They sell the pencils individually so she can selectively restock the ones she runs out of most. Apparently, green is the most frequently used color for all the grass in landscapes so she can buy individual ones here very reasonably instead of buying a whole new package of pencils. They also have a nice selection of gift items like small pouches, reusable bags, socks, cards and assorted small art themed things. The selection of easels is extensive and includes table easels and standing easels. Tons of canvas, paints and paint brushes. Prices are reasonable. I found the staff a little overbearing (they greeted me multiple times) when I entered the store but were friendly at checkout. Highly recommend.

Lots of cool Albany swag. Even if you live here, you'll want a sweatshirt! Or a shot glass with…read moreNipper on it. Lots of unique things too, from body butter to bar tender essentials to books about Albany. Stop by and browse! It's a small boutique located in downtown on Broadway.

While I do understand that the ownership has changed and inevitably will give the store a different…read morevibe, my main issue has been that in the times I have been into this store since the change in ownership and management, the staff has been unpleasant and on one occasion in particular, made my friend and I feel very uncomfortable as she had a loud and extremely personal phone call during the entire time we were in the store without even acknowledging that we were there at all. I do think the selection has always been great, and I appreciate the emphasis on supporting local work, although that also seems to have changed a bit since the change. It is a pricey location for most things, but I do always enjoy seeing what is in the store, the card selection is consistently excellent, and it is a great place to find a gift!

Wow! What a gem of a place to have arts and crafts! I love the program here, and I wish I had found…read moreout about it much sooner. They offer a lot of classes, from small children to adults! The staff are all incredibly friendly, and they are very flexible in accommodating to your needs. I took a pottery class for three weeks, and I had a blast! It was incredibly fun, and the instructor was super awesome! I really loved it. I wish I had more time to work with the instructors, but my schedule did not allow. Love the friendly atmosphere, and I got to meet so many creative people while practicing during the open studio hours. I do wish they had longer hours so it was more convenient for me schedule, but I understand this was mainly fitted around school-going children. They have a lot of cool workshops for kids, and the instructors are all very amazing from the art that I see the kids produce. There are so many different things they offer! They also allow adults a lot of resources and space to exercise their own creative projects, which I think is excellent. Everything is pretty reasonable, too! I definitely I wish I had found this place sooner! Their mascot cat is also incredibly friendly, and I adore her!

We just had a birthday party for my daughter here. It was great! Karen (the owner) did a great job…read moreleading the kids through three little projects. All of the kids really had a lot of fun. Everyone left with big smiles. Hopefully, we'll be back again for some open studio time.

Love Atelier OM! A huge fan. Love how it's sustainably and responsibly made using natural dyes and…read morehand-spun fabrics. The cotton is so soft and feels so nice on the skin. I also like how each piece is truly unique and timeless - opposite of fast fashion. I own OM for every occasion - for work and play - and I get so many compliments every time I wear it

From the owner: Eco Ethical Handspun Handwoven natural fibres . ALL Cruelty free in natural dyes hand printed:…read moreresponsible fabrics by the meter, timeless fashion in ltd editions, luxury home goods, handmade artisanal jewelry, au currant art & ceramics.

Staff wasn't helpful after Rebecca left. Had to ask for everything, outrageous prices, super messy.read more

This was a fairly standard paint your own pottery place - nice big tables, lots of choices in…read morepottery & paints. What makes it even better is the glass art option - so much beautiful glass to work with! I can't wait to go back for that! The pottery was our goal - so did that. No rushing around, great music playing just loudly enough. Fun time!

If you tend to run your hands along walls as you wall down halls, and if your hands are dirty, then…read morebe careful. You may leave hallmarks. This is a cute little card shop inside the Crossgates Mall in Albany - and yes it's a little expensive and overpriced but it's a good resource for finding cards and such things, and for that reason it's good that it's here. Besides, most things in the mall are overpriced so I'm not going to downgrad it just for that.

They are very welcoming and kind hearted group of women. They are very knowledgeable on knitting,…read morecrocheting weaving and other fiber arts. The have a wonderful selection of yarns including local dyers.

When I went in I waived hello to the person on the phone and she didn't acknowledge me. When she…read moregot off the phone her first question was have you been there before. I did not find her helpful but another person (one of the five owners) was helpful. When I was cashing out I asked for a bag and was told there would be a fee. I have never paid for a bag in a yarn store and don't expect to when i spend $100. This left a bad taste in my mouth. This would not be my go to store at all for the reasons listed above.

My kids had received gift certificates here and today we went to check out the place. The short…read moreversion of this review is: my kids loved it here! The space is very open and bright. There are tables/chairs set up around the room waiting for painters to sit at. The walls are lined with shelves of blank pottery to choose from. There are items such as plates, mugs, teapots, and vases. There are dinosaurs, bears, cars, treasure boxes, princess crowns, and a variety of coin banks. There was even a holiday section with Santa bowls, Rudolf plates, trees, and ornaments. There is something for everyone from kids to adults. It would really surprise me if someone couldn't find a piece to paint. There are art books, stencils, and stamps to help get your creativity flowing. The paints are a variety of beautiful colors - and there even is a tile showing how each paint looks when it dries (which was extremely helpful). The only down side might be the parking but that really is a stretch. There were only a few spots in front of the store - BUT there is more parking down behind the shop. Do not be deterred by the parking! My kids loved it here and they ended up spending 2-3 hours happily working on their projects. The owner is very helpful and came by often to refresh our water bowls. In one week the pieces will be ready for pick up and my children can't wait to see their creations glazed and fired. I really am genuinely happy this business has come in. It was a nice way to spend a few hours and I can easily see groups gathering here.

Last weekend, we held our daughter's 13th birthday party at Piece d'Occasion. Nine girls, including…read morethe birthday girl. It was a huge success, due in no small part to Heather's efforts. When we arrived shortly before the party, we found the place done up lovingly with balloons, a table nicely decorated for the girls, and another table set up for presents, with a commemorative plate for the occasion that all the girls got to sign, with our daughter's name already beautifully painted on it. Her favorite music was playing, too, with a custom playlist that Heather created for her based on her preferences. Once the girls finished catching up with each other, Heather led the girls through the process. There was a huge selection of figures for painting, and, of course, all the painting and decorating supplies the girls needed. While they worked, they were given glitter tattoos, which they went nuts for (what is it about glitter?). When the girls finished their pieces, they got their pizza (included in the price) and then we brought out the cake, and the party wound to a close. It went a few minutes over, but Heather was very understanding about it. The girls had a terrific time. My wife and I were delighted with everything, and Heather was wonderful to work with. The price was more than reasonable for what we got. We'd celebrate another birthday here in a heartbeat; in fact, we very well may, when our girl's 14th birthday rolls around!

I've yet to see thousands of people packed in here to watch a game, so clearly the store name is…read morefalse advertising. This is a pretty cool sporting store with two different names located in the heart of the massive Crossgates Mall in Albany. It's definitely one of the better stores I've been to in malls for sporting goods. I'm not sure what sort of customer they expect to be able to pay these prices, but people must have paid them anyway because they've managed to stay in business. That's pretty good for them. This store is more fun for me than Barbie when we're walking around Crossgates, so we didn't stay long, but I'm glad that it's here and it surely adds something to the mall.