The Star City of Prestonsburg, Kentucky, now has a new business shining light on how much the city has to offer residents and visitors.
Leaders and community members in the area have worked tirelessly over the past decade to build up their offerings to make Floyd County a great place to live, work and play. Residents and visitors alike can find plenty of activities to do around town, from singer-songwriter nights to mountain biking and paddling weekends, and now — paint nights!
Last summer, in June 2019, Floyd County resident Deana Hunt opened You, Me & Pottery, a “paint your own pottery” studio, in downtown Prestonsburg.
You, Me & Pottery is place where people of all ages can paint pre-made pottery, picking up kiln-fired finished pieces the same day or a few days later. The ceramic pieces available for painting include dishware like plates, bowls and mugs, to decorative pieces like figurines and picture frames. Deana said she tries to have an item for everyone with nearly 200 options and prices starting at $7.
The idea to open this style of business came when Deana and her daughter visited a similar business in Huntington, West Virginia. Deana wanted to give her community a similar option for family friendly fun.
She said in six months of operation, they have had visitors from over seven states, along with many visitors from Eastern Kentucky including those who drive for regular visits from Harlan and even London, which is over 80 miles away.
“Painting is very therapeutic. It seems to get everyone’s mind off of things they are dealing with,” Deana said. “Unlike restaurants, no one uses their phones in here. They are laughing, talking to each other.”
Deana said she does not consider herself an artist, and encourages everyone to give the studio a try.
“However you see it, you can paint it,” Deana said.
They also host regular special events around holidays featuring in-store characters from the Sanderson sisters from Hocus Pocus, to the Grinch and Let It Be characters. They also offer birthday parties, bridal showers and team building options in the store or at your place of business.
Deana said they recently worked with a daycare in Mount Sterling where the children painted plates and they auctioned them off as a fundraiser.
The Mountain Association worked with our partners at Morehead State University’s Small Business Development Center to provide affordable financing for Deana to realize this vision for You, Me & Pottery. The Big Sandy Area Development District (ADD) assisted her as she developed the website.
You, Me & Pottery is open Monday through Thursday 6:00pm to 9:00pm, Friday and Saturday 11:00am to 9:00pm, and Sunday 1:00pm to 6:00pm.
