Had a number of issues with my experience at Paint Our Pottery, which started when my two children and I came in to paint a mug for my wife for Mother's Day.
Issue 1: When I came to pick up the mug, parts of it were not glazed. I came back with the mug after Mother's Day to have it re-glazed. A week later I came by to pick up the re-glazed mug. It was still missing glaze in some parts the woman working, Amber, told me it was in fact glazed even though I was showing her where it wasn't (she said it was the glaze's "texture"?). So, I emailed the owner, he apologized and said I could bring the mug back for re-glaze. Finally, he was able to properly glaze the mug (approximately a month after we had been in there to begin with).
Issue 2: When I was painting the mug I asked for the 10% discount that was listed on the website. The woman working said that was not a thing, and would not give me the 10% off. I thought maybe what I saw on the website was old and had expired, but when I got home I checked and no, it was definitely a thing. During the glazing debacle email I sent the owner, I brought this to his attention. He didn't address it when he emailed me back, so when I picked up the re-glazed mug, I asked him if he could honor the 10% off. He said he would not honor the 10% on the site because I had to mention it when I was painting (which I did, and told him I did...). I get that 10% is not much, and it may seem petty, but it came down to the principle: If you are going to advertise something, just honor it (and maybe inform your employees so they can honor it, too.)
Issue 3: Hours are inconsistent. On two occasions I tried to pick up the mug during hours that the shop was advertised as open, but it was closed. I was later told that they close early if no one is actively painting. This would be a good thing to disclose to customers so that they also don't waste time coming to a closed shop that they expect to be open, especially when picking up something they already finished.
The only reason I am giving them a 3 instead of a 2 star review is because the owner did offer that my family and I come in for a free day at the shop because of our troubles. Although this is generous, my children are young and painting with them is not fun. If my wife had not asked for a mug, I wouldn't have gone through this effort to get one. After the serious obstacles I went through to get this mug in hand, I just wanted what I walked in expecting when I found them online before Mother's Day: a mug for my wife, and the 10% they offered on their site. I will not be coming back to the shop because I am so jaded on my experience here. read more