Straight Upp Atmostphere

 

As passersby gaze through the bay windows of Straight Upp Creative Studio, they see antique metal display cases, hand-made wooden shelves, and exposed brick walls. Blank, ceramic pottery perches expectantly on the ledges--everything from frogs to dinosaurs to coffee mugs--waiting to be chosen as someone’s creation.

Since its opening in March 2014, Straight Upp has seen a steady flow of customers wandering in for their own chance at artistry. The studio, located on Moro Street in Aggieville, offers a multitude of services, from pottery painting, to canvas and cork parties, and even event planning.

Andy Grollmes, senior in marketing at K-State and employee at Straight Upp, said one of his favorite parts of the place is its undeniable atmosphere.

“It’s just a fun, creative environment,” Grollmes said. “Everyone is so excited to come in and make things. You have people who have never been here before and some people who have been to similar places, but no matter who they are, they always have a lot of fun.”

Grollmes added that there’s no set demographic for the creative studio--people of all ages benefit from its services.“We have anyone from parents bringing their three-year-olds in to middle-aged ladies that do canvas and cork parties and bring in wine for girls’ night,” he said.

“We have a very wide range of clients. Sometimes, kids will come in here and just glob paint all over, but they get to leave with their own thing that they completely made.”

One big fan of Straight Upp’s painting services is 10-year-old Destiny Mitchell. Mitchell, who visited the studio with her mentor, Lindsay, was busy crafting a gift for her mom.

“I’m making a Mother’s Day gift,” Mitchell explained enthusiastically. “It’s a puppy, and her name is going to be Mocha.”

As Mitchell delicately painted a black ring around the eye of her ceramic canine, she talked about her personal connection to the piece.

“I have two dogs at home,” she said. “One’s name is Mocha. She’s a diva, so I decided I should make a spoiled dog. I hope my mom likes it.”

Although she maintained that painting is a messy job, Mitchell said she enjoyed getting to make something of her own, and even more than that, loved that she could create something for others.

As she glanced up from her work, she pointed to the wall of blank pottery.

“I’d like to come back,” she said. “Maybe, I could have a birthday party here and invite friends. I want to paint one of those little people over there,” she said, pointing to a gnome on the lowest shelf. “Or, I might paint a pig.”

Mitchell’s story isn’t out of the ordinary. In fact, Grollmes said many customers frequent the shop, coming back multiple times to make even more pieces.

When it comes to location, Grollmes said he feels Aggieville is the perfect place for a business like Straight Upp to be.

“I think it really fits the vibe when you look at the style of things down here,” he said. “It’s really complimentary to other great businesses around it, like Bluestem and Acme. We kind of all have this vibe that people really love to come visit.”

Even though many people simply look through the windows of Straight Upp Creative Studio, Grollmes encouraged curious individuals to step inside.

“A lot of people see us, and they’re interested, but they still don’t really know what we do,” he said. “We’re kind of a full-service place. It really is more creative than just the pottery.”