Growing up in New Hampshire and Vermont, Ben Giguere, founder of Gather LLC, a Providence glass blowing studio-cum-community center, drew inspiration for his future career from renowned glass artist Simon Pearce.
“The first time I saw [his work], I knew that was something I wanted to do,” said Giguere, who would later go on to work with the Quechee, Vt.-based studio. By 2009 he had established Gather LLC with a “blind partner [who] funded the operation.”
For Giguere, who has been blowing glass for 21 years, the medium is “mesmerizing.” His work at Gather, he said, tries to “relay that magic to people” who have yet to work with glass.
Calling the operation a “unique business,” Giguere stressed the importance of community to the business model – even in naming the company. Gather is both the term used when collecting the material on the end of the glass blowing equipment before shaping, and Giguere’s goal for the company’s function.
Gather offers one-hour, personalized glass blowing classes to bring together members of the community in an activity that allows them to interact with one another and the arts. Classes range from $45 per person to design and produce a colored-glass ornament to $200 per person for a class in which participants design and create a memorial incorporating the ashes of a deceased family member or friend.
Giguere explained local businesses – including Hasbro Inc., Alex and Ani LLC and CVS Health Corp. – view their classes as team-building opportunities and have continuously signed up employees for sessions over the years.
In addition, Gather’s business model includes multiple examples of charitable giving. While the company is not a 501(c)(3), it interacts with many nonprofits throughout the community, he said.
Over the company’s nine years, he said, in eight of them Gather has worked with WaterFire Providence performing live demonstrations at its events and donating funds generated from the sale of glass items produced by Gather artists at its Atwells Avenue gallery.
In addition, over the past two years, Gather has expanded its charitable giving model to include the Rhode Island Community Food Bank and Crossroads Rhode Island.
“We’re always trying to reach out to others,” said Giguere, who has his sights on similar partnerships with Save The Bay and Special Olympics Rhode Island.
“It’s our best way to give back, [besides providing] the community a place to learn something new,” he added.
For Giguere, his biggest hurdle and greatest achievement are one and the same – maintaining “a brick-and-mortar location and owning equipment to teach. Securing permitting with the local fire department and purchasing expensive equipment are ongoing hurdles for the firm, he said, but help him “be more in touch with the community through classes.”
Within the next five years, he hopes to “expand the business footprint” by offering more classes and “potentially” expand gallery hours.
OWNER: Ben Giguere
TYPE OF BUSINESS: Glass blowing studio
LOCATION: 521 Atwells Ave., Providence
EMPLOYEES: Six (including five rotating artists)
YEAR ESTABLISHED: 2009
ANNUAL SALES: WND
Emily Gowdey-Backus is a staff writer for PBN. You can follow her on Twitter @FlashGowdey or contact her via email, Gowdey-backus@PBN.com.
