Need some help with next step.

[NiRTY]

Been a while since I've been very active here. Just hoping to bounce a couple studio space ideas off you guys. (No real partners in crime currently)

Been moving allot lately and finally fairly settled down in Western MA. However the only place so far I've been able to lock down shop space is over the border in NY. It's a very cool spot, a room in the back of a hot shop, with a pit.

I basically haulted the build out do to horrible leaks from a poor gutter install. I scampered up a 40 ladder and fixed the leaks, phew... But the owner has since let his furnace die out, and the whole building has been an ice box for winter. There is no hard feelings, as he is older and having a rough go... But it leaves this building and it's space with a level of un certainty for the future. Sad it is.

Also this has been a soft glass studio for almost 30 years, and I can't help to think about all the dust and toxic crap from batching all those years with poor cleaning policies (I don't like being the main outdoor for air, tho I will build a clean air intake and door if I stay)

Now, on top of that, it's a 45mn drive which is putting some serious wear on my car, and costing a pretty penny in gas.

Fast forward to now, and I finally found a garage... Only 20amps, and the owner does not want to dig a trench through his lot, but has an old commercial kitchen he is happy to have me make pipes in.
Well this is sounding great, with the exception he turned the upstairs storage into an apartment and now there is a tenant upstairs... He still is fine with a 24hr workshop,and to be honest I work mostly daytime hours.

Outside of the kitchen is a cool big open space and and old tavern(not in use) very cool, totally horror story worthy.

Prices are similar, with the kitchen space needing a larger insurance premium, as it's a wood building and not an existing brick glass studio.

Anyway... Thanks for letting me think out load, thoughts are appreciated. For some reason I'm nervous, but my gut says take the fucking kitchen with heat and it's only 9min from home.

[fUmEsNiFfEr]

Tough choice! That pit bench in the back of a glass studio looks dope! How old is it? What kinda east coast glass history is tied into that place? Being there and tying my own glass history into it sounds almost irresistible.

On the other hand, an old kitchen is too. So much potential! Less work maybe to set up the bench but there's room to spare. Maybe you can rent a bench out? You could have an awesome collab studio!

The shorter commute and heat will WAY make up for higher insurance but what are your plans? I mean how do you make your living with glass now? Do you grind prodo and ship it all out? or do you rely more on social media for sales?

Do you have a body of work that you can show gallery style?

Knowing what kind of work you want to do in the future and how you want to sell it is something to think about. Don't settle on convenience when you could be planning for growth.

[Shaper]

If you can secure the kitchen from intruders I'd say go with it. Short commute means your more likely to go there, plenty of space so you could rent out bench space to help with rent,
gas savings helps pay for insurance, time saved on the commute means more time in the shop.
have fun.

[BlairArtGlass]

As cool as the old glass shop is with its history, a 45 minute commute would suck if your trying to be in the shop regularly. The kitchen would be a pretty simple set up from the looks of it.

[NiRTY]

Thanks. Yea.. so you see my dilemma. The pit is awesome, and there is enough room outside of the pit for lathe, teaching bench and ...dare I say climbing wall. The problem is really with not getting a straight answer from the owner. His health is poor, wife's as well. He's been given funds to keep the shop running, but when he's not well enough I'm not sure the 30 years of bandaid fixes will make it worth someone to take over. Would have loved to learn more furnace work over the winter, to help with his production.. he currently lacks a head gaffer.

It's never seemed smart to me to keep investing time and money to building out the space. It is currently perfectly fine for one or two benches, just no heat (not the end of the world). I do get waves of thoughts about just taking the risk and going all in, but then I remember I live in MA and there is currently an advantage to stay a part of the MA glass scene where my ties have been since 2012.

Apprehensive to blow glass in an old building with tenants and such. But the restaurant has a lot going for it. Especially with MA cannabis laws changing....maybe room to grow as a social consumption location, as it used to be a tavern.

[NiRTY]

If you can secure the kitchen from intruders I'd say go with it. Short commute means your more likely to go there, plenty of space so you could rent out bench space to help with rent,
gas savings helps pay for insurance, time saved on the commute means more time in the shop.
have fun.

Much more secure than the back of the glass shop I'm in, actually.

[Lux]

Both look cool. The 9 min drive to the kitchen instead of a 45 min drive would seal the deal for me. Good luck with whichever one you choose.

[NiRTY]

Thanks folks.

I think I'll move forward with the kitchen. Ill share the build out.