Written by The Renton Reporter recently posted this story about Renton’s Uptown Glassworks potentially going out of business. This would be a big loss for our city, as the unique glass art studio and retail shop is a big draw to our downtown and has introduced countless new students to the world of glass blowing. It has helped anchor our downtown for nearly two decades and has become one of my favorite spots to purchase gifts for far-away friends when I want to send something made in Washington.
I hope someone with a hundred thousand dollars in upfront costs and a couple years of operating reserve can step forward to purchase this business to keep it open. Whoever buys it for $100,000 will be inheriting a large loyal customer base and a nearly twenty-year excellent reputation.
In the above photo, a delegation from our sister city of Nishiwaki Japan gets a glass-blowing demonstration (and ever participates a little) at Uptown Glassworks
I hope they get bought, too!
Rambling asside:
As a culture, we’ve learned to not appreciate craftsmanship, but instead only focus on short-term ‘value.’
I’ve found that if my possessions match my aspirations – even though they are more humble, they make me much more satisfied.
My back porch has a screen door that I made five years ago, and it’s falling apart. But the next version will be better and even in it’s current state, I actually get more enjoyment from it that a “Lowes Chicom Special.”
At the same time, I buy most of my food from Costco, Cash-And-Carry and WinCo. So I’m a damn hypocrite. In my defense, we couldn’t function entirely as a civilization without mass produced stuff as we’d all stave to death.
Yay progress.
….
Good luck Uptown Glassworks.