I came in for the first time - a friend who's an artist in the ceramics community recommended this place and gave me some direction on what to look for, but left the final decision to me and said the staff would help me figure it out. Unfortunately my experience with an associate named Jess made the whole thing pretty miserable. When I explained I was new and needed help choosing clay, she would just stare at me blankly when I asked a question, like she was waiting for me to figure it out myself. It was incredibly frustrating to stand there and try to puzzle out what she wanted from me - a simple "what are you trying to make?" or "what look are you going for?" would have gone a long way. She cut me off mid-sentence more than once, and when she walked me over to the clay wall she made a spectacle of it - speaking loudly and drawing attention from the whole store. It felt less like help and more like being made an example of. I went back to the counter a second time and tried to ask more specific questions. Same thing. At one point I straight up said "I'm not trying to waste your time." She eventually pointed me to something, I bought it, and got out of there. I get that this place has a great reputation and I'm sure a lot of that is deserved. But walking in as a beginner and leaving feeling humiliated is not okay. If you're new to ceramics and need actual help, just hope you don't get Jess. read more

What a great store! They have everything you need for clay work. It seems morning was missing. I went in with my daughter and she was looking around. I'm a newbie to clay but my daughter is more experienced. I was just wandering around waiting for my daughter. The staff explained what everything was while I wandered. There is also a chair for those who want to settle in and read while they wait for someone to finish shopping. We got everything my daughter needed for a reasonable amount. I'm sure we'll be back. read more

ClayPeople - Art Supplies Near Me - Richmond, California

Wonderful people to work with! Very, very helpful and positive. Their service and selection of clays, tool, glazes and firing service is amazing. Nothing feels overpriced and you certainly get your money's worth. Thank you to all the staff for the support and help they have given me. read more

Wife and I went in as I wanted to buy some things for the lady in San Rafael who loaned me her studio. We found that ClayPeople was her supplier, so there we were. A HUGE selection of just about everything. Was impressed with how one could buy stains in small packages to experiment with them and how extensive their selection of clays and glazes were. The woman at the register is why I gave a 3 star v. a 4 star. I introduced myself as a potter and she just stood there. I asked where bats were and she pointed. Likewise when I asked her prices for her clays. She was a blank spot on the customer service spectrum. We were both surprised at how other raters praised the customer service here. Net is that I bought $200 of stuff and a $100 gift certificate. If I were local I might have given this place another chance, but there are many other pottery suppliers around, so certainly you have choice. read more

ClayPeople for the win! I was on a mission to find a kiln and have a couple pieces fired and these guys made it happen. No problem! Happy to have discovered this place and looking forward to going back soon. Great selection and service. Highly recommend. read more

I went in looking for a specific item but found myself wandering the aisles. I was greeted and pleasantly offered help. Nice vibe, nice people. read more

My wife loves this place. The staff are clay nerds, and i mean that as a major compliment. It is nice a place like this actually exists as it is a major asset to the clay working community. read more

Not only is Clay People THE place for ceramics supplies, but it's the ONLY place for ceramics supplies. Staff is friendly and there is quite an extensive selection of tools, glazes, and clay to choose from. Recommended! read more

GREAT customer service from the young people (not to be ageist, just touched me that on a Saturday morning all these twenty-somethings are there at the shop in the rag-tag neighborhood. Bless us all...amen)....and my mood was rocky, sleepy, long drive....I was demanding )-: they were informative and kind. Clay-wise, they have it all. FUN, so fun! read more

Staff are not knowledgeable, be warned. Sent someone in with a specific list, and they were misled by an employee to purchase something else , being told it was the same thing. It was not at all the same thing, and has caused us to waste money and time. Will purchase online or drive to Santa Clara next time. read more

The selection of glaze there is amazing! They also have a good selection of tools. Really nice staff and super helpful. Will definitely be back! read more

Very pleased with the ceramic piece that we had fired by ClayPeople and plan to use them again. Also bought a 25 pound bag of clay here pretty cheap. Prices are reasonable and staff is friendly and helpful. The turnaround time for our piece was pretty quick too. read more

This place is a pottery paradise! A wide selection of tools, glazes, clay, and more and the staff is very helpful.

Everyone a Clay People is friendly knowledgeable and willing to share experiences. They stock a wide variety of clay, glazes, tools and other equipment. The prices are very competitive and when you pick up in person it saves money as opposed to ordering online. I really like the fact that I can see the glaze samples and talk with someone as to exactly the products I may need for my project. They are conveniently located near Highway 80 in Richmond California. I highly recommend them. read more

I am a clay addict. Clay People feeds my addiction. If you want it they have it, and for a decent price. Staff are really helpful which is a bonus. read more

Very helpful sales people with way too many things to buy! Love this store, wish it was closer to me!

ive always had a great experience at clay people. I usually come with a lot of questions and if they aren't swamped, they really love to share their knowledge and experience. They have a good selection of tools, glazes and clay, and they have cone 5/6 firing services. Be prepared to wait 3-4 weeks for a firing though since everyone is playing with clay these days. read more

Have been a loyal customer for a few years. Even got used to them not having the most basic of tools in stock for months... natural sponges, shammy, etc. A few months back I brought in greenware for them to bisque fire, as I had on a few occasions previously. But this time I brought in what would be urns for human cremains, made at the request of a grieving mother. I explained to staff what they were and how important they were for me: the best one would ultimately be the final resting place of my closest friend's child, who had just committed suicide at 20yrs old and whom I had known their whole life. The urn would be the centerpiece of the memorial to be held in just enough time for me to glaze these pieces. Claypeople blew up all my work and *acknowledged that it was their fault*-- a result of gross negligence! But they didn't even refund my prepayment for the firing!!! And certainly didn't want to discuss covering the costs of my clay, much less my time. After waiting to hear back about my complaints, I emailed the owner about my disappointment... and still two weeks later, have not received a reply... and not expecting to, at this point. So I finally joined Yelp, just to let others know how irresponsible these folks could potentially be, and how unwilling they are to try to make right something that goes wrong when it is their fault. I am profoundly offended by their actions and lack of actions. They did nothing right, in this circumstance. And they made a painful time for both myself and my friend and his wife worse. Obviously, it is perfectly possible that your experience with Claypeople goes off without any problems. But a lack of regard made an error more likely. And if there *is* a problem, I wouldn't expect that they would attempt to do ANYTHING meaningful to make it right. And that tells me alot about who I am working with. I'll never go back, I can't trust them. And if that wasn't bad enough, I had to listen to one male staff member probably in his 20s explain to me in detail how he wanted to take advantage--sexually--of a demented old woman who was a regular customer there. I tried to get away from him, but not before mentioning the illegality of his intentions. Apparently his lack of social skills made this his best option, but ewwww! Another employee gave me a nickname with seriously negative connotations... and shared it with me. Need ceramics supplies or a firing? Leslie's Ceramic Supply is little more than a mile away... read more

This is my favorite ceramics store in the bay area. They have a great selection of glazes and clays, but my favorite part is the people who work here. They have often gone above and beyond to help me get what I need. Most are trained ceramic artists themselves who also willingly share their experience. Wish their hours would accommodate people with day jobs read more

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I love Clay People. Buy everything from them including my kiln on WHEELS. They're just the nicest people and always have he clay and clay items I need and good prices. read more

Laurel at Clay People hooked me up. I purchased (17) 25lb bags of clay for my daughter's elementary school in San Carlos. We don't have a kiln, so she suggested a terrific air dry clay, Laguna Mexo White. She shipped some to me to try, and then I ordered the rest to be delivered. It came on time (early!) and they loaded it into our art closet. All the reports from our art lesson volunteers have been good so far. The price was reasonable, and I would recommend using it again. Very nice. read more

Went here after my first class at the Richmond Art Center and found the staff are very helpful, friendly, we're happy to explain things and offer suggestions to me. There is a huge selection and I'm sure I'll be coming back for more supplies. read more

Disneyland for clay people. Extremely helpful and good prices for bay area.

Excellent customer service. Bill patiently answered my questions about the operation of a Skutt kiln that I was interested in. I did buy the kiln and am thrilled that it will be delivered and I will be instructed in its use. Also the old one will be removed. read more

Would give a 6 star rating if I could. I came into ClayPeople looking for a kiln. Found a great deal on a used kiln being sold on commission for another potter, got the information on it, and verified with my electrician that I could support it before I purchased. Well, it turns out my electrician was wrong. After I got the kiln back home, a few days of electrical work and drama, he finally realized this. ClayPeople GENEROUSLY agreed to take the kiln back and only charge the delivery fees. This is the kind of customer service that makes me a loyal customer for life. Thank you ClayPeople, and when we do find the right kiln, I will be purchasing it FROM YOU. -- WC read more

Professional and helpful. So happy to have them to go to for ceramic needs. Lots of great products and tips.. thanks again!

Clay People is great on all fronts. Awesome customer service both in person and on the phone. All the employees I've interacted with are well versed in ceramics and offer knowledgable advice. I had an especially nice time chatting with Bill about a glazes today, he happily told me about his favorites and recommended various helpful resources. Bought a used Lockerbie from them a while back as well and it was in great condition at a great price. read more

Omg this place is heaven!!! Amazing staff, all the tools you could ever need, all the glazes you could ever need...ect...holy crap so glad I found this read more

What a resource! I know nothing about ceramics, clay, or art, but wandered in today and left with a big bag of air-dry clay and a few tools and motivation to learn more. The staff person was great and explained so much to us. This place is great for novices as well as experts. read more

I recently visited Clay People at their new location on 32nd and found it to be a great place to buy ceramic supplies and clay. Service was friendly, knowledgable and fast. They have monthly specials on clay ($5 a bag on selected type) and supplies. They also discount clay if you buy in bulk. There was limited parking which was not an issue when I was there. Will definiltey be back for supplies! read more

Have bought lots of tools and supplies here & staff has been helpful. I did purchase a brand new Shimpo wheel, which had an issue right out of the box. They took it back to correct it. After 3 or 4 weeks they said it was ready. When I called to confirm, the repair guy said that he had made the wrong repair to my wheel (fixed what was not broken, because they had another identical wheel with a different problem). I waited to hear back. After several more weeks I called & the repair person was out with a medical problem. They offered to just swap my wheel for a new one, which seems fair. Overall, I have been happy with my experience with ClayPeople. read more

I like this store! There's a very mellow vibe, and an easy chair where you can sit to browse books and magazines. I'm new to ceramics, so I appreciate the advice I've been offered on clay and glaze selection. Their prices seem good and (obviously) they have a much better selection than you find at the various Berkeley art stores. Wish it were in Berkeley, but It's right off the freeway. I have always found ready parking at the door...and a ready smile at the cash register. read more

After being a loyal customer for 10 years, I am sad to report that I am taking my business elsewhere. I recently purchased a refurbished wheel from Clay People. I was told it was in perfect working condition and that they would stand behind their work and I could return it for a refund if I was unsatisfied. Within 3 weeks, the wheel clicked and slowed in the turn cycle. I called CP and reported that it was not working well and asked to return for a refund. The employee responsible for the refurbishment (who also vouched for it being in perfect working order) stated "oh, I was worried about that" and asked for a chance to repair. I asked again, can I return it for a refund if the repair does not work and it continues to have spin problems. He said "absolutely". Against my instinct, I gave him the chance to repair. My mistake. He came to replace the bearing and on the way out I asked again, can I return it if we are unsatisfied to which he answered "yes, I will make it right". The repair did not fix the problem. I called 2 weeks later and asked to return the wheel, be refunded, and buy a new wheel from CP. I was willing to still give them the business. The employee told me they would not refund me. I was shocked. I had called 3 times to verify it was returnable, asked at point of sale if it was returnable, called the day I needed to pay my credit card bill for the wheel and asked if it was refundable, and all along was told yes, we will take it back. I reminded the employee of all this, asked him if he remembered saying I could return it, he said "yes" but would not honor his word. All he could say is "sorry we have disappointed you". It is more than being disappointed Clay People, it is being lied to. Not a good business plan. read more

I finally made it to this place and discovered that this store is amazing! It has everything you need to set up your own ceramic studio and tons of throwing, trimming and rib tools. There is also a good selection of clay for reasonable prices. I wish is was closer to to Daly City but in the middle of the day I can get there in 25 minutes and it is right off the freeway. This will be my go to store from now to purchase clay for sure. read more