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Restaurant darling Keith Kreeger opening first ceramics shop in East Austin

To-Go Orders

Restaurant darling Keith Kreeger opening first ceramics shop in East Austin

Keith Kreeger Studio Showroom allows patrons to take their favorite wares home.Photo courtesy of Keith Kreeger Studios
The showroom opens on Feburary 12.Photo courtesy of Keith Kreeger Studios

When dining at any number of Austin’s best restaurants — Olamaie, Emmer & Rye, or Uchi, for instance — one of the most dazzling aspects of the beautiful dishes served is often the plate itself. Who makes these striking pieces? Over and over, the answer is the same: Keith Kreeger.

Ceramicist Kreeger has been throwing clay in Austin since 2009 after moving from Cape Cod. Dedicated to the idea that “objects matter,” his dishes, bowls, and vases reflect an affinity for clean, modern design, but maintain his signature handmade feel. His is art that’s meant for use, living at the intersection of gallery-worthy sculpture and your favorite old coffee mug.

Now, Kreeger’s many fans will finally have the chance to browse and purchase his stunning wares at the new Keith Kreeger Studios Showroom, opening February 12 at the Canopy on Springdale Road in East Austin.

“This new showroom will showcase our entire collection on a day-to-day basis,” says Kreeger in a release. “I’m so excited for this next step for Keith Kreeger Studios. People in Austin have been interacting with my work during their evenings out at many of our city’s great restaurants. Now they can bring the pieces into their homes.”

Among the offerings at the showroom, popular sets like the minimalist Gramercy collection — a monochrome dinnerware assortment adorned simply with a borderline that resembles a sound wave — will be available for purchase. Also available will be one-of-a-kind hand-thrown bowls and large-scale vases. Guests can also pre-order items and commission custom pieces.

“I make pottery because I think the objects we use on a daily basis are as important as what they hold … that a meal with friends that you’ve spent hours preparing calls for dinnerware crafted with the same care,” Kreeger says on his website.

A staple on the tables of more than 40 restaurants nationwide, Kreeger’s distinctive pottery can now find a home in your dining room. “I think you deserve to know the maker of the objects you use every day,” he says. With the opening of Keith Kreeger Studios Showroom, now everyone in Austin has the opportunity to know the artist — and his work — a whole lot better.

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Keith Kreeger Studios Showroom will be open Monday through Friday, 11 am-6 pm, beginning February 12.

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Mini Meatballs

IKEA to debut new smaller-format store in Central Texas city

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People in San Marcos will be getting their own "new format" IKEA store designed for a smaller city, according to a press release. It'll be 35,000 square feet — that may sound big, but IKEAs are often around 300,000 square feet.

The store will open this spring at the San Mar Plaza shopping center (917 SH-80 N.), and it'll be the ninth IKEA unit in Texas. It should be easy to find, since the release says it's "accessible off SH-80, and visible from IH-35."

Ikea's loyal following is generally thanks to its relative budget-friendliness and practical design. In San Marcos, more local sensibilities will be introduced, although it isn't clear exactly what that will mean for how the store is curated. The release promises "local living solutions, tailored to local preferences that reflect the unique everyday needs of the San Marcos community."

That'll be reflected in the store's 2,500 products on the sales floor, 2,000 of which will be immediately available. Everything will be available to order for home delivery or pickup. There will also be a chance to enjoy some of the store's Swedish Food Market finds, presumably including the famous meatballs.

This isn't the first small store in the Austin area, but the one at The Domain (3306 Esperanza Crossing) is really tiny at only 5,010 square feet. It's designed for placing and picking up orders, rather than browsing and then taking something home. The San Marcos store sounds more like a regular IKEA, but smaller.

"The opening of IKEA San Marcos exemplifies our strategy of developing smaller, more accessible urban store formats in this journey towards a more connected and accessible IKEA experience for the many," said IKEA U.S. CEO and chief sustainability officer Javier Quiñones.

The release discusses a commitment to adding "customer meeting points and locations that complement each other," plus e-commerce and service improvements. Overall, IKEA seems to be presenting a goal of greater diversity and accessibility in its shopping experience.

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