Today we’d like to introduce you to Day Kennedy.
Hi Day, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself
I fell in love with stained glass several years ago and started my first business Daylight Glassworks in 2018, selling my art at popup markets and festivals around the city. I decided to open a retail store for myself and other artists because it has become increasingly difficult to source glass and supplies locally over the past year. The largest distributor in the southeast relocated from Kennesaw, GA to Phoenix, AZ in the fall of 2020, and the only other local supplier closed up shop this year. Shopping for glass online is incredibly difficult, not to mention expensive to ship. And I’ve noticed such a resurgence in the interest of stained glass lately, with a ton of new people taking up glass as a hobby during the Covid lockdown last year. I wanted to give established artists and new hobbyists a place to come and source their glass and supplies in person, and to be able to see all the characteristics and color variations in each sheet of glass. I also wanted to teach! People have been asking me for years if I would ever offer classes, but I’ve never had the space for it. The timing just felt right, so I decided to go for it! I’ve spent the last eight months working on opening ATL Glassworks in a cool old building and former church in Kirkwood, and I’m finally open for business selling glass and supplies and teaching introductory stained glass classes.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It has been quite the journey opening this shop. I feel like everything that could go wrong has gone wrong. The permitting process with the city has been an absolute nightmare, and the building ended up needing SO much more work than I initially realized. It has taken way more time and way way more money than I ever expected. Opening ATL Glassworks has been the most difficult thing I’ve ever done and I’ve made a lot of mistakes along the way, but I’ve learned so much in the process. I’m so grateful to my friends who have been there for me through my many meltdowns, and some other local small business owners who have given me great advice along the way.
Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
ATL Glassworks is Atlanta’s only stained glass retail store. We sell a wide variety of glass as well as all the tools and supplies needed to make stained glass art. We also offer beginner stained glass classes for those interested in learning the art form. The classroom area also serves as my personal studio space for Daylight Glassworks, and there is a gallery area with my artwork for sale.
Is there a quality that you most attribute to your success?
I think adaptability is really important for the success of my shop. I am serving a pretty niche market, so paying attention to what my customers are looking for will be important. Whether that is stocking different types of glass, specific tools or supplies or offering different types of classes, I want to make sure I’m giving people local access to the supplies they need to make their beautiful artwork. I am so passionate about glass and I just want to share that love with as many people as I can.
Contact Info:
- Email: info@atlglassworks.com
- Website: www.atlglassworks.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/atlglassworks
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/atlglassworks
