Pottery studio supplying shops, cafés and galleries

Gift shops, galleries, cafés, restaurants and interior designers, plus some direct customers through a studio sale.

Wholesale prices on repeat orders, custom-made tableware for venues, and direct sales at the studio or online to lift your margins.

• Making pieces to a consistent standard
• Production planning and batch firing
• Pricing for wholesale
• Selling and following up with buyers

• Rent, kiln power use and materials add up before sales are steady, so test demand first
• Zoning, fire code and building rules for a kiln in commercial space, so check with your municipality
• Food-safe glazes and finished-ware testing if selling to restaurants and cafés, and check Health Canada guidance
• Commercial general liability and contents insurance, plus WCB/WSIB coverage if you hire help (rules vary by province)
• Wholesale payment terms and late payers, so consider deposits on custom orders
• Seasonality, with orders often peaking before the holidays

Startup costs are typically estimated at around $10,000 to $40,000, depending on the studio unit, kiln size, equipment and materials. Rent, kiln power use and materials add up before sales are steady, so test demand first.

Monthly revenue is typically estimated at around $2,500 to $12,000, depending on how many shops, cafés and galleries you supply and the size of your orders. Orders often peak before the holidays, so plan for seasonality.

Check zoning, fire code and building rules for a kiln in commercial space with your municipality. Also check food-safe glaze testing and Health Canada guidance for restaurant work, insurance, and WCB or WSIB coverage if you hire help.