glassybaby Opens Glass Blowing Hot Shop In Berkeley

Public Grand Opening October 10th to Feature Live Glass Blowing Demos, Music, Food and Fun

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Sep 29, 2015, 11:00 ET

BERKELEY, Calif., Sept. 29, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- glassybaby, maker of one-of-a-kind, hand-blown, glass votive candle holders and drinking glasses today announced the grand opening of its first California hot shop at 745 Heinz Street, in the thriving design and warehouse district of West Berkeley. Within the 13,000 square-foot workshop and retail space, 65 glassblowers will produce one-of-a-kind products that highlight the age-old craft behind each glassybaby. The hot shop will also feature a glassybaby store and an event space with a full commercial kitchen, available for rental.

glassybaby come in 400+ rich colors, each with a unique name like 'international orange', 'bay lights', 'joy', 'hope', 'gratitude', 'roots', 'sorry', 'bff' and 'frog hunting'.

In keeping with the company's unwavering dedication to purpose beyond profit, ten percent of all sales are donated to the glassybaby white light fund and benefit local nonprofits including UCSF Benioff Children's Hospital San Francisco, Lucile Packard Children's Hospital Stanford, the San Francisco VA Medical, Oakland Children's Hospital, the Breast Cancer Emergency Fund and Glide Memorial Church. To date, glassybaby has donated close to $4 million to over 100 nonprofits – including in the Bay Area – that promote health and healing for people, animals and the environment.

"We believe in the power of strong communities to make change, and nowhere is that more evident than in Bay Area. Our values as a company are to be kind to the environment, to help where the need is greatest, and to bring a little light, color and kindness to the world," said Lee Rhodes, founder of glassybaby.

"I'm thrilled to see this once abandoned factory come back to life as a glassybaby hot shop that provides an exciting space for the community to gather, " said Bill Cummings, CEO of glassybaby. "From its solar panels and 10-foot custom chandelier designed by Berkeley's own Metro Lighting, to the tables made from original bleachers from Cal Memorial Stadium, our new Berkeley hot shop is the embodiment of our commitment to sustainability and to staying local."

Berkeley born, award-winning architect Matt Stromberg designed the space and Richmond-based Oliver & Company was the builder.

Details about public opening:

Saturday, October 10th from 10 am to 5 pm
745 Heinz Street, Berkeley California
Live Music
Food (for purchase)
Live glass blowing demonstrations and more

About glassybaby

glassybaby are one-of-a-kind hand blown glass votives and drinkers made by glassblowers in Berkeley CA and Seattle WA. glassybaby come in 400+ rich colors, each with a unique name like 'joy', 'hope', 'gratitude', 'roots', 'sorry', 'bff' and 'frog hunting'.

Seattle-based glassybaby was founded in 2001 by three-time cancer survivor Lee Rhodes. During her chemo treatments, Lee met patients who could not afford basic needs such as bus fare, childcare or groceries. When she founded glassybaby, it was with the core mission of helping to alleviate these struggles. The giving mission has since expanded to support hope and healing for people, animals and the environment.

glassybaby's three other Bay Area stores are located in Palo Alto's Stanford Shopping Center, the San Francisco Ferry Building, and on Union Street near Fillmore in the Marina district.

SOURCE glassybaby