Get Crafty

Make art on a whim at Lafayette’s drop-in craft studio

story McKenzie Watson-Fore

Old Town Lafayette’s new drop-in craft studio, The Craft Place, is brimming with creative energy. Mismatched chairs are pulled up to butcher paper-covered tables, and bright lights gleam from primary-colored sconces mounted along the western wall. When visitors come in, they peruse a menu from which they can order beer, wine, and a craft of their choice: anything from oil pastels to squeegee painting, decorated Polaroid frames to personalized ornaments. Unlike the paint-and-sip venues that soared to popularity in the early 2010s, The Craft Place is fully drop-in, and everyone can choose their own craft. 

This creative freedom is at the core of co-owner Samantha Anderson’s vision for The Craft Place: a comfortable, casual venue where people can spend time together and enjoy the process of artmaking without the pressure of perfectionism. “I want people to be able to actually let go and create and just have fun,” she says. “I want them not to be worried about doing something ‘correctly’ or having to follow an instructor.” The freeform, self-driven model of The Craft Place prioritizes each individual’s intuitive creativity and democratizes crafting. 

Samantha, who studied photography in college, understands the barriers that can keep people from making art, including in their own homes. “It can be overwhelming,” she acknowledges. Additionally, many arts and crafts require a full suite of materials, which aren’t always easy to procure. “They can be costly, they come in bulk, and you don’t necessarily want acrylic paint lying around,” Samantha says. At The Craft Place, she and her team take care of the supplies, the workspace, and the cleanup. All customers have to do is create. 

“The response has been really great,” Samantha says. She and her co-owner and husband, Ben, are thrilled to curate a space where people can separate from the pressure of home and work life and engage with their curious, creative inner selves for a while. “Some people stay for a shorter amount of time, like forty-five minutes; Other people have stayed for three hours,” Samantha says. “I don’t think anyone’s left unhappy.” 

After completing her degree in photography, Samantha worked in project management for several years. She burned out in the corporate world and quit her job in 2024, with no specific plan for what to do next. “I really wanted to get back to a more creative role,” she says. She freelanced for eleven months before learning that she was pregnant. Those early months of pregnancy pushed the Andersons to evaluate their overall trajectory. “People talk about their dreams and their hopes,” Samantha explains. “I was tired of talking. I wanted to try something.” 

The idea for The Craft Place originally came from a post that Samantha shared with Ben on Instagram years before their business would come to fruition. The day of her first ultrasound, Samantha stopped by the Read Queen—Lafayette’s locally owned bookstore and cafe—to pick up a journal, and she noticed a “For Lease” sign in the plaza. After speaking to the landlord, Samantha spoke to Ben, who immediately said, “Okay, let’s go sign a lease.” “He’s always been supportive,” Samantha laughed, “but that level of, ‘let’s do it’ was new. So, I figured, why not?”

The Andersons signed last June and took occupancy of the space in October. The months in between were a blur of marketing and relationship-building with their new neighbors in Lafayette. “We’ve always loved it here; Lafayette has such a homey feel,” Samantha says. The physical space was already well-suited to the Andersons’ aims. They installed a utility sink, which required a municipal permit, and they acquired another permit for the beer and wine sales. Fresh paint and new lighting invigorated the space, and less than three weeks after occupancy, the Andersons started welcoming in patrons and artists! 

In the months since its grand opening, The Craft Place has started expanding into specialized workshops and private parties. Samantha hopes to see more partnerships develop with other local vendors, but she is determined to protect the drop-in nature of the studio hours. She hopes that families, couples, and groups of friends will choose, instead of going to a restaurant or other standard space on a random Thursday night, to come by The Craft Place. She wants to eliminate the friction of having to book experiences far in advance. “I want to offer more freedom,” Samantha says, “so folks can say, ‘Let’s go create something.’” 

Visit The Craft Place at 127 N. Harrison Ave., Unit 123 in Lafayette.