St. Pete business has been selling handmade pieces for 23 years

ST PETERSBURG, Fla. – For over 23 years, the Craftsman House has been selling handmade crafts from local and national artists. 

“We’ll have people come in to buy a coffee mug, and they’ll actually try it on and see how it feels in their hand,” Craftsman House owner Jeff Schorr explained. “They’ll go through five or six different ones and like, oh, this one feels good. This is the one I want.”

Dig deeper:

In the pre-digital age, Schorr would travel the country, visiting various outdoor markets to find wholesale artists. Currently, the gallery features work by 300 local and national artists who create pottery, blown glass, woodwork items and jewelry. Each piece is handmade. 

“It really ties into the building. The building, the whole arts and crafts era, was about people sort of rejecting the industrial revolution and going back to making handmade goods that felt good in your hand, so it’s important that everything’s handmade,” Schorr said. 

The backstory:

The historic building, now covered with bright purple paint on Central Ave., was a key to Schorr starting the business. 

“I was looking for a place where I could have a gallery and maybe a little studio, and when I came across this unique building, it’s a historic 1918 arts and crafts bungalow. That was it,” Schorr said. “Then we added the café along with it. We wanted people to feel comfortable coming into an art gallery in shorts, T-shirts, and flip-flops.”

What they’re saying:

Schorr says his clientele is about 50/50 locals and tourists. The store is popular among snowbirds. The holiday season represents one of the store’s busiest times. 

“I tend to see that when people come in to buy a gift, they also see something they like themselves,” Schorr said. “I hear time and time again, oh, I’m supposed to be buying a gift, but I’m going to get this for myself.”