PORTLAND, Maine — Lori Goddard and her daughter Brittny Daly always wanted to open up shop in the city of Portland; last fall, they made that dream a reality.
The pair opened their own Board and Brush Creative Studio on Cross Street in October of 2019. It houses instructor-led workshops that bring personalized wooden décor to life and large enough to host parties of up to 40 people.
"We take you through step by step and not only do we have a great time together," Daly said. "But you go home with something that you're really proud of that you want to hang on the wall or give as a gift."
Then, the coronavirus pandemic hit New England and they were forced to shut their doors indefinitely. Not reopening until recently.
"We worked for it and finally did it and put a lot of blood sweat and tears into it... so we're not going anywhere," Daly said. "We're going to weather this storm."
The two say they are focusing more on small parties and take-home kits, however they held a class Wednesday night that had nearly a dozen people attend. They hope to see the classes grow back to their larger sizes as time goes on.
"It brings us a lot of joy," Goddard said. "I mean nothing makes me happier than to see these people coming in and feeling safe and just smiling and having a good time for the first time in a long time."
To learn more about Board and Brush, click here.