Whitney and Jordan Pierce are the new owners of Board & Brush in Ootlewah
The DIY home décor trend is getting a boost in the Chattanooga area, as the new owners of the local Board & Brush Creative Studio move to a new and larger space at 5913 Main St., Suite 106-B, Ooltewah, with enough room to accommodate upwards of 45 for sign-making workshops. The owners, local couple Whitney and Jordan Pierce, are hosting a grand reopening event at their new location, set for Saturday, Sept. 30, from 2-5 p.m.
Board & Brush Creative Studio was named the #1 DIY studio workshop franchise in the country for 2023 in the annual rankings from Entrepreneur magazine.
The event is free and open to the public, no RSVP necessary. Tour the new studio with its industrial vibe where the walls are lined floor to ceiling with projects to get the creative juices flowing. There will be gift bags with coupons for the first 25 people; all who visit can enter for a chance to win a workshop for two, perfect for a date night; and finger foods and beverages will be served.
The wife-and-husband team of Whitney and Jordan Pierce assumed ownership of the franchise earlier this month and immediately directed their energies to readying the new location, ensuring there was no break in the workshop schedule. The pair, both Tennesseans, have already settled into a natural division of responsibilities at the studio: Mrs. Pierce is the creative force, with a background in marketing and graphic design, so she’ll be instructing workshops, while Mr. Pierce, who works in finance, will manage the behind-the-scenes operations. Mrs. Pierce noted it’s been her lifelong dream to own a business. “I come from a family of business owners and this was on my wish list since I was a kid."
Board & Brush workshops are for both experienced DIYers and newbies looking to feel empowered and get in touch with their creative side. The home décor items – signs, trays, porch planters, and more – look professionally made and won’t be relegated to the back of a closet, said officials.
All Board & Brush workshops are instructor-led, with attendees guided through the ins and outs of power tools, paint, stencil art, and assembly, with all materials supplied by the studio. Each “Pick Your Project” workshop lasts about three hours and costs $73-$78 depending on needed supplies, with pre-registration required. Board & Brush issues new designs on the first of every month – there are now more than 800 designs in all to choose from, complementing both rustic and modern home styles. Mrs. Pierce predicts the new holiday designs will be especially popular. “As a DIYer, I like to change out my home décor for each season and each holiday, and especially for Christmas,” she said.
"Anyone who thinks of themselves as not crafty need not stress,” said Mr. Pierce. “You don’t have to worry about doing something freehand, as the stencils we use ensure every project turns out great.”
A Board & Brush workshop is a favorite activity for girlfriends’ get-togethers, date nights, and family gatherings. The Pierces’ first experience at Board & Brush was hosting birthday parties for their children.
The Chattanooga studio also accepts reservations for private parties, special events, and corporate team-building activities. “We’ve had a lot of bookings for business events and it’s gratifying to see how coworkers connect over a workshop,” said Mr. Pierce.
The Pierces invite local nonprofits interested in hosting a fundraiser at Board & Brush to contact the studio directly.