Core Clay shapes business in Walnut Hills

Laura Davis may run the only business in town that can claim it sells dust.

 

Core Clay opened on Gilbert Avenue in Walnut Hills in June 2005 to provide a live-work space for Davis and her boyfriend, Justin Poole. Since then, it has continued to grow into a successful business.

The original idea was to sell pottery supplies and products and have a space to teach classes. Since she worked in such a large space, friends started asking Davis if they could rent studio space, which eventually led into the transformation of the basement into a collective studio. Today, it normally houses 25 artists who rent space on a month-to-month basis.

In addition, Core Clay has employed an artist-in-residence since 2009 and offers both beginner and advanced level classes. Core Clay also creates clay on-site.

 

In a further effort to expand, Davis enrolled in ArtWork's SpringBoard class. While the business has been growing, Davis says she enrolled to get more business know-how. Current plans are to improve signage, expand marketing and build a bigger in-store product line. 

 

"You can sit and ask a lawyer questions for two hours," Davis says. "That alone is worth the cost of the class." 

 

Davis and Poole settled on Walnut Hills after searching in Florence, Camp Washington and beyond, and have since seen the neighborhood change around them. 

 

"Our building was a source of crime in the neighborhood," Davis says. "We have made changes and taken the grates off the windows. We want the neighborhood to know we are friendly in here." 

 

After cleaning up the Core Clay building, Davis found that another vacant building next door had become a source of trouble in the neighborhood and decided to purchase the building out of foreclosure. In 2010, the building was opened as a intentional community of live-work spaces for artists. Some parts of the building are still being renovated, but once finished, it will house nine units.