Pinspiration is a DIY Craft store where you choose from a menu of predefined craft projects, which you then make yourself in the store. They also offer a few unique twists such as a Splatter Room and Snack Bar (BYOB!
They opened earlier this year in the Clarksboro (Berkeley) section of East Greenwich, NJ in a new retail development close to Cinder Bar and Death of the Fox Brewing in Clarksboro.
Shannon and Paul opened up Pinspiration earlier in 2020. While it’s a team effort for the couple, Shannon is at the helm of this new location, with Paul lending a lot of help and support at the location
Mark from 42Freeway had heard about Pinspiration previously but hadn’t made it down when they first opened. Well it turns out Shannon is a big fan of 42Freeway and she recently reached out to us… and Mark is so glad she did!
So I popped in on a random Saturday afternoon a few weeks ago. No advance noticed.
And the place was BUSY! I expected to see customers and people really enjoying themselves with their crafts…but I didn’t expect every table in the front area to have people sitting at it, and as I later left more people were waiting to come in.
It seems Shannon and Paul are doing things right with Pinspiration! If you haven’t been there yet, you really are missing out!
The crafts are amazing. The splatter room is really cool!
But the best part of Pinspiration is, it is a fun and creative environment for you with your friends and family to do things… together! Imagine spending time at a craft table with you, the kids and Mom (Grandmom), all working on craft projects; helping each other, talking and hopefully laughing!
Plus it’s the season of giving, and a visit to Pinspiration would make for an awesome Holiday gift for friends or family! Schedule a visit online, or order gift cards!
Pinspiration does take walk-ins of small groups for the front area, but its probably best to make a reservation (online) or contact them regarding setting up a larger group party!
They even have private room areas for events, Bridal Showers, Kids parties, Bachelorette parties and more!
Keep reading to learn about how crafting at Pinspiration “works”… and to learn about Splatter Painting!
Initially Shannon was busy with a full front house of crafters, so it was Paul who gave me the initial tour. Thank you Paul! When I chatted with Shannon a littler later she made me feel a little bit like a celebrity! See I said she was a big 42Freeway fan! Thank you Shannon and Paul for your warm hospitality!
Readers: Keep reading and scrolling down to learn about the Splatter Rooms!
Pinspiration: Creative Fun Explained!
Well first off, Pinspiration is not a craft supply store like Michaels or Hobby Lobby.
Pinspiration is a Do-It-Yourself Craft store where you pick from a preset list of craft projects to make yourself, while you are in the store!
The name of the store is loosely based on the social media site Pinterest, where a key aspect is for people to share (“pin”) their creations, along with instructions on how to make the project. Well, Pinspiration takes that DIY experience and puts it right into your hands!
Pinspiration East Greenwich does this by having a rotating menu of craft projects to choose from. This allows them to have the “ingredients” on hand and makes for a very fun and smooth experience for everyone.
Hanging on the walls and on shelves of Pinspiration East Greenwich are all of the available projects to complete for that season, and they are also available to browse online.
The projects vary from wall hangings, tabletop decor (coffee serving tray, wine glasses) to candles and more!
They even offer a variety of projects for the kids!
As you would imagine, seasonal décor plays a big part of the craft universe, and Pinspiration right now is featuring a lot of Fall seasonal items; Thanksgiving and Christmas themed crafts.
The process is very simple… You pick one of the crafts you want to create, Shannon and her staff bring you the supplies you need to create it… and then the staff gives you guidance on how to create the craft project!
You walk out with a new creative item that you can proudly showcase at your home! (They make great gifts too!)
I don’t think I would surprise people if I said that I don’t have familiarity with craft stores like this, so I don’t know if this is a common set-up.
I will say though that to me this seems amazing… having everything readily available
At home I do a lot of projects from painting to electrical and I jokingly rate the projects in advance based on how many trips I think I’ll have to make to Home Depot! “Oh so you want a new motion sensor light for the front of the garage… hmm… that’s probably a 3-tripper project”. 🙂
So to bring this back to Pinspiration… having all of the supplies right there on-hand… sounds amazing!
Pinspiration also offers Canvas Painting projects! You can choose your own canvas painting project and the staff will guide you through. You can schedule this for anytime, but you can also make your own “Paint and Sip” event with your friends! See the Party Room section below.
Snack Bar
At the back of the main craft area is a snack bar where Pinspiration is serving up… well, drinks and snacks!
Hot coffee, tea, hot chocolate. Cane Sugar Soda and other drinks.
Charcuterie boards, hummus & pita chips and more.
Candy’s and other snacks.
Shannon explains that when she was pitching the idea of opening the store to husband Paul.. while he was always very excited for the entire business idea, the deal was sealed when she told him there was going to be a snack bar area and Paul could design that aspect!
So it does add a lot to a fun experience. It is set-up like a high-end home bar. Several stools in front. Even a television!
Because this is New Jersey they don’t serve alcohol at the bar, but they are BYOB. Well, check with Shannon and crew first!
Party/Event Rooms!
The front of the Pinspiration store is all glass, which makes for a bright and inviting entrance!
Upon entering you are immediately in the main front craft area which includes 6-8 tables, each seating 4 people. at the back wall is the snack bar area.
But this represents probably 40% of the store, which continues back behind the snack bar.
Directly behind the snack bar area is a large party room, which as you would expect.. also contains craft tables and many craft projects on display.
This room has doors from the rest of the store, and can offer you a private yet fun experience for your next party or event.
The Pinspiration website lists a variety of party options to give you ideas on fun things to do with family and friends, and it even includes pricing.
The list includes; Bridal Showers, Bachelorette Parties, Corporate/Team Building, Splatter Party, and a variety of Kid’s themed parties!
Splatter Rooms!
In the back section of Pinspiration East Greenwich are the dedicated Splatter Rooms!
In summary, the Splatter rooms allow you to make your own creative piece of modern art, by splattering, smudging, and flicking paint onto a canvas!
So this sounds like it could get messy, right? Imagine trying this with the kids in the Dining Room!?!
At Pinspiration they make the process as easy and clean as possible!
Painters are given protective coverings for their clothes, and protective eye goggles!
The walls are painted black (well originally they were) so that the paint splatters jump out at you as soon as you enter the room.
Sure the goal is to get the paint on the canvas… but in most of the photos I’ve seen it seems the creative painters can get a fair amount on themselves!
Pinspiration supports a variety of planned sessions… from a Splatter Date for you and your love, to a full Splatter Party!
Links and Location
Pinspiration East Greenwich
141 Berkley Road Suite #8
Clarksboro, NJ, USA 08020
856-290-8870
Yes they take walkins, but you can reserve a time online…which if you have a larger party or event you absolutely should reserve the spot!
The location is about 1/4 of a mile from the original Cinder Bar in Clarksboro NJ. Very easy to get to from Rt 295… the 295 exit is only 1/2 a mile away.
Driving from the East, the Hollywood Cafe on Rt 45 is only 9 minutes away, and it’s about 15 minutes from the Seven Star Diner at the Five Points intersection.
East Greenwich Facebook
East Geenwich Website