The Great Permit

When I first started building Carolina Clay Studio, I expected challenges. I knew I’d have to juggle a hundred moving parts—hiring teachers, advertising, repairing kilns, testing glaze formulas, ordering supplies, building a website, and all the behind-the-scenes work that keeps a creative space running.

What I didn’t expect was that the biggest hurdle would be… permits.

Building the Dream

Since early 2023, I’ve been pouring everything I have into this studio. Along the way, I’ve: Converted an “under-the-radar” pottery space into an official business.Revived a failed studio and turned it into a thriving community hub.Started Carolina Clay Studio with $0 in funding and, piece by piece, built a brand and a company strong enough to earn investor confidence.

I scoured the earth for equipment—wheels, kilns, tools, and supplies. I built relationships with vendors, hired teachers, made tough calls, and spent countless hours researching, testing, and learning everything I could to make Carolina Clay Studio a success.

This past summer, we hosted two fantastic Creative Minds & Mixer events and led our first workshop at Bond Brothers Brewing in downtown Cary. Momentum was building, and it felt like things were finally falling into place.

Everything was going smoothly — almost too smoothly.

Hitting the Wall (Literally)

Then came the permit review.

While the Town of Cary was looking over our plans, they discovered a mismatch in their records: a neighboring wall in the building wasn’t documented properly. The layout on file didn’t match reality.

Normally, that might seem like a minor technicality. But when you’re opening a studio with kilns and fire safety systems, those details matter—a lot.

And just like that, we hit a wall.

What followed was weeks of back-and-forth with contractors, architects, engineers, and the town. Policies differed, answers weren’t always clear, and the result is that our opening, unfortunately, has to be pushed back.

Finding Support

Thankfully, we haven’t been navigating this alone. We’ve had an incredible team of architects and engineers working alongside us, and the support of many within the Town of Cary.

Special thanks go to Councilwoman Lori Bush, who sat down with me to listen to our challenges. She offered guidance, connected us with the right town officials, and has continued to be an advocate for this project. Beyond the permit process, she’s helped us connect with new opportunities for both Carolina Clay Studio and the artists who make up our growing community.

Looking Ahead

If there’s one thing this journey has shown me, it’s that patience and persistence pay off.

So many of you have supported us through years of work, setbacks, and small victories. I can’t thank you enough for your encouragement while we push through these final hurdles.

I am so ready to open our doors and welcome you into the studio. I can’t wait to see what you create here.

With gratitude,

Nate