First-of-its-kind pottery studio and cafe opening in Toronto this month
A new pottery studio-cafe concept opening in Toronto this month is letting locals have their mug and make it too.
Touting itself as "Toronto's first pottery studio and specialty coffee shop," Brockton Village's soon-to-open Tigerbaby Studio may very well have a legitimate claim to the title. I've yet to see anything comparable come across my desk, anyway.
The opening of the cafe and studio isn't the beginning for Tigerbaby, though: it's the second act for a brand for whom coffee and clay have always gone hand in hand.
Originating as a small business that specialized in handmade clay accoutrements (cups, mugs, vases, ornaments) and local coffee roasts, the brand, founded by a brother-and-sister team, earned equal attention for its pottery workshops, which have taken place everywhere from Sistering Women's Shelter to Boxcar Social.
It's only natural that the next step would be to find a home base where all the elements — retail, coffee, and pottery classes — can coexist under one roof.
Slated to open on Saturday, Aug. 15, the cafe is already taking bookings for pottery classes. Aspiring potters can opt to book a single session, a three-hour class for around $100 or enroll in the cafe's multi-week programs, ranging from $280 to $650 depending on the course length.
Of course, you can also simply swing by Tigerbaby for a quick cuppa. The space's brick-red accent wall and cherry wood fixtures already make it a comfortable fit in the stylish neighbourhood, while the good vibes (I'm making an educated guess, having been inside no small number of pottery studios before) will keep you there for a second drink.
With another local pottery business recently making a sultry splash online, is it safe to say that the GTA is entering its pottery era yet? I say yes.
Tigerbaby Coffee & Clay will be located at 977 College St.
