Terracotta is a booming business in downtown Pullman. Since 2022, the business has expanded to a total of four locations.
During the construction last year, it opened in Moscow to provide greater access to its client base. After members in Colfax expressed the desire to have a location closer to them, owner Candace Baltz made the decision to also open a new location in downtown Colfax.
“I just need the right place and the right terms, and it has to be drenched in natural light. I met and toured about 36 hours later. A month later we soft opened,” Baltz said.
Baltz has a mind for business and has been able to open multiple new locations in the almost four years of business.
“I have always invested any kind of profit into more equipment. I buy second-hand or from other local businesses and put items in storage so when we want to open a new location we get the opportunity,” Baltz said.
One tool that she went from having one to 800 of is a texture roller. Custom orders call for custom designs and when people request a pattern they have to grow their collection. After multiple years of custom orders, the collection is so big that when people come in with a unique idea, Terracotta is usually able to provide that pattern.
“We started ordering in all kinds of wild, really niche patterns like guinea pigs,” Baltz said. “Thats what a custom order wanted. Most of the textures originated because someone asked for that kind of thing.”
When people have the option to think of something as unique or niche as guinea pigs for their pottery, to know someone else has the same idea can leave you feeling connected to someone you do not even know.
Seeing connection and expression between people fulfills Baltz in her daily life. She is grateful to be supplying the part of people’s day, week or year they look forward to the most.
“I get to celebrate a birthday every day,” Baltz said.
Baltz has been dreaming of spending her Januarys in a specific tropical location and she wants to give her members that exciting opportunity as well. That location is Hawaii, which Baltz just returned from. She is prepping a studio there as a perk for members to come and stay in a cabin-style space to have a pottery vacation.
“It’s a loyalty perk for our members because they have done so much to keep us in business,” Baltz said.
Now with four locations open — three in the Palouse and one upcoming member location in Hawaii — Baltz has been able to provide support to the downtown Pullman neighborhood businesses and opportunities for college students.
During the construction and since then, the businesses have been able to help and support each other.
“I think since they opened we have bought four or five charcuterie boards for different events from Gabagool,” Baltz said. “We have partnered and hosted events a lot at Pups and Cups and really just worked with everyone to keep the money downtown.”
Staff team member and student at WSU, Nicolo Ditadi began working at Terracotta as a freshman last year.
“It provides working opportunities for college students,” Ditadi said. It also just provides something to do in general that is fun. You can express yourself, be creative and let your mind roam free. It really provides the little bit of life these towns need,”
Ditadi is grateful to have the opportunity to grow the past two years in many different ways. He works two to three times a week currently while pursuing a degree in psychology. Some of his favorite parts about this business are how he gets to teach big classes of people who are celebrating something fun.
“A lot of college students see it as just a fun activity to do. It’s a good date location, it’s good to turn your brain off and have fun. It’s a fun activity in a town that lacks that,” Ditadi said.
He enjoys the inclusivity and safety of the studio along with getting to see big groups like the WSU volleyball team or kids camps come through the studio. In a town that may seem to be going out of business, Terracotta is expanding and providing the town with exactly what it needs.
Learn more about Terracotta memberships and bookings online.
