Clay by the Bay, a pottery studio that taught thousands of amateur potters for 12 years, has closed. The studio, located near Fort Mason at 747 Beach St. in San Francisco, shut down due to its founder Rebecca Olbright’s declining health and other issues, including unpaid rent.

Studio Closure Surprises Customers

The studio’s closure caught potters by surprise, with some taking to Reddit to express their concerns about retrieving their work from the shuttered building. The studio subsequently opened up to allow users to pick up their work on Saturday and Sunday.

Crimson Cashman, a former employee and manager at Clay by the Bay, said she left the studio in February due to worker complaints about pay and benefits. Cashman described her experience at the studio from 2021 to 2024 as “the best job she ever had,” and expressed sadness about the closure.

Other students, such as Andrew Higginson and Judy Mai, were also affected by the closure. Higginson had signed up for a beginner course and was hoping to buy a membership before discovering the studio was closed. Mai happened to visit the studio on Saturday to glaze her pieces and found a security guard, a sign-in sheet, and frantic potters retrieving their items.

Former competitors are now capitalizing on the opportunity to gain new customers, with SMAart Gallery & Studio’s website reading, “Lost your studio? You Haven’t Lost Your Practice.” Cashman advised customers to choose a pottery studio in their neighborhood, saying they should get a good deal. GoFundMe fundraisers have started for some of the former pottery teachers.

Original reporting: Mission Local — read the source article.