MakeATX Fundraiser

Why we need your help:

We are in debt and struggling. In December of 2019 we were forced to vacate our previous studio because of recent trends in Austin real estate. We took out a construction loan to finish out our new studio, hopeful that we could pivot toward events to cover the 300% increase in rent. We unpacked our last box the night before lockdown in March of 2020. After a lot of soul-searching and agonizing, we decided, in an effort to maintain a responsible work environment and to keep our yet-unvaccinated families safe, we would remain closed to the public until vaccines were readily available or until the pandemic had passed. We remained closed for the entirety of 2020, 2021, and most of 2022. To keep the shop running through all of this, we took out a large SBA disaster relief loan. With the introduction of the vaccine for children 6 months and older, we finally felt comfortable inviting folks back into the studio. Our steady stream of customers and sales since then have been truly wonderful, and for them we are incredibly grateful, but we are still struggling to unbury ourselves from the enormous debt we've incurred to keep our studio open, our employees supported, and our families and friends healthy. We love having our women-owned and operated workshop in such a beautiful Central East Austin studio and want to keep it running for years to come but the truth is, to fully recover and get back on our feet, we need your help.

OUR GOAL:

We want to continue to support and collaborate with the artists and small businesses of Austin and beyond. Our initial goal is to raise $50,000, which will cover 25% of our SBA loan repayment. This will help us get back on our feet as we pivot toward laser cutting events to make the most of our beautiful new space and keep our business strong and vibrant.