Walls of Clay Holiday Pop Up Brings Families To Downtown

Walls of Clay opened its studio doors on December 11 for a series of four 45 minute sessions that invited families to paint oversized, kiln fired 5 inch ornaments. Sessions ran at 4:30 p.m., 5:30 p.m., 6:30 p.m., and 7:45 p.m. Attendees chose from more than 14 ornament styles, paid a flat ticket price of $16 per person per ornament, and enjoyed hot chocolate during the activity. The studio requires that attendees aged 13 and under be accompanied by a ticketed adult, and its published terms state that tickets are non refundable though credits may be issued in some cases.

As a business that has operated in downtown McKinney for more than 24 years, Walls of Clay used the event format to generate seasonal revenue and to create a tangible draw for evening visitors. The session structure and pricing translate directly into incremental income for the studio, and they create short duration retail experiences that can increase nearby foot traffic for restaurants and shops. Studio policies posted with the event included a kiln firing disclaimer and a photo and video release notice, both of which shape participant expectations about when they will receive finished products and how images may be used by the studio.

For local residents the event combined craft activity with convenience. The relatively low price point made the outing accessible as a small gift or family night, while the requirement that minors be accompanied by ticketed adults underscored the family oriented nature of the sessions. From a community perspective, events such as this contribute to downtown vibrancy during the critical holiday season when small businesses seek to boost year end sales and maintain steady cash flow.

Longer term, experiential pop up events support a shift in local retail toward hands on offerings that cannot be replicated online, helping to sustain property occupancy and local employment. For families planning future outings, the studio’s posted policies on ticketing, kiln firing, and media use are important logistics to consider when deciding to participate in similar holiday programming.