The Works is Moving to West Seattle!
The Works has been a creative home for Seattle makers since 2018. This is our next chapter.
We need your support to make it happen.
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Our Story
My name is Kellie Phelan, and I'm the founder/owner of The Works Seattle. At The Works, we believe that bringing people together through shared passions and making things with your hands is good for all of us.
The Works started in my kitchen. Eight years later, it's a full studio with instructor-led workshops, private events, DIY kits, and a drop-in Maker Bar, serving more than 5,000 students a year from our Fremont shop.
Earlier this month, The Works turned eight. Eight years!! And we're coming back to where it all began… nearly. A new studio in the heart of Alaska Junction, just up the street from my house. We're aiming to open our doors in September 2026, and we need your help to make it happen.
The Journey
We went from pop-up to brick-and-mortar fast. And then, 18 months in, Covid shut us down.
We didn’t fold. We built something new: DIY Kits, complete with materials, instructions, and curated playlists, that kept our team employed through the pandemic and turned out to be something people loved enough to keep ordering long after. Today our kits are a permanent, growing part of what we do, sold directly, through corporate events, and through wholesale partnerships.
We came back from Covid stronger than we went in. That’s not luck… it’s the team, and the community, and the stubborn belief that a shop like this brings joy to people.
From the beginning, classes have been the heartbeat of The Works. Printmaking, natural dyeing, embroidery, floral arranging, stained glass, and more. We've built a curriculum around hands-on skills that slow you down and connect you to something real.
In a city full of great creative spaces, our students come from across Seattle (and well beyond!) and keep choosing to come back, trying something new each time. We think it's because this isn't just a place to take a class… it's a place to belong.
Where the Maker Bar Came From
Last year, my daughter went through a bone marrow transplant for aplastic anemia, a rare blood disorder. It was the hardest period of my life. Being away from the studio for months, and watching an incredible team step up and run everything without me, gave me a new perspective on the business and the space to finally act on an idea that had been brewing for a long time.
I kept coming back to something I'd always believed: so much of what we teach doesn't require heavy instruction; it needs good materials, a clear guide, and permission to explore.
The Maker Bar grew out of that realization. It's a way to make creativity more accessible and flexible, to invite people in even if they don't have the time, energy, or desire to commit to a full class. A place you can drop into, make something with your hands, and leave feeling a little more grounded than when you arrived.
This isn’t a pivot away from classes. It’s an expansion of what we know works, built from years of teaching, testing, and refining projects, and from one long, honest look at what this community actually needs.
Why Alaska Junction
The new location puts us in the heart of West Seattle’s Alaska Junction, home of Husky Deli, Easy Street Records, and just down the street from the new Molly Moon’s. It’s a neighborhood that runs on independent businesses.
Our current space is tucked away on a lower level with an alley entrance, findable if you know where to look. Alaska Junction puts us on the main drag. All I could imagine over the last handful months was… what if people could just walk by and see us? See their friends and family, their community, all making and say: “I wanna do that?!”
This move is also deeply personal. I want to live and work in the same neighborhood. I want my kids, who have grown up in every single one of my shops, to see that anything is possible when you put your mind to it. And I want to welcome their friends, their friends’ families, and all of Seattle into this space.
The Vision
Every space we’ve rented in has been improvised, made to work through sheer resourcefulness. This time, we’re building it right from the start, designed specifically around how we actually teach, make, and gather.
Part retail, part Maker Bar, part classroom: a place where you can browse and pick up a kit to take home, pull up a stool and make something right now, or settle in for a full class. An art sink for the messy, satisfying work of actually making things. An ADA-accessible bathroom, because a welcoming space has to welcome everyone.
Everything we’ve learned in eight years of teaching, what works, what doesn’t, what people actually need when they walk through the door, is baked into this layout. We’re not just moving. We’re building the space The Works has always deserved.
Make an Impact Today
This campaign is how we're bringing The Works West Seattle to life — run directly by us, no third-party platform in the middle. All rewards are estimated to be delivered in September 2026. Thank you so much for your support!
$50 in Maker Bar credit, yours to spend however you like. Drop in solo, bring a friend, try two projects - it's your call. Valid anytime we're open, starting from day one. Never expires.
A bundle of our three best-selling DIY kits, keep them for yourself or give them as gifts. These kits add up to a $115 value and are available shipped or for local pick-up.
Six months of unlimited Maker Bar access, starting when you’re ready. Come as often as you like, try everything on the menu, and make this place yours. Assigned to one named person.
Be one of the first families to celebrate in the new space. Bring your creative kid and up to 15 of their friends for a hands-on Maker Bar party. You bring the cake and we handle everything else!
A two sided bag you’ll actually use: our full Seattle icon collection on one, the Works logo on the other. This one is available shipped or for local pick-up.
Five Maker Bar sessions to use however you like - come solo or bring the family! Choose any project from the menu, this is the best value you’ll ever get. Yours to use from opening day with no expiration date.
The whole shop, just for you. A private hands-on workshop for you and up to 15 guests, planned with Kellie and the team around what you want to make. Birthdays, bachelorettes, team building, or just because. Choose from our full workshop catalog and we'll take care of the rest.
Donate Today
Join Kellie and a group of founding supporters for a behind-the-scenes evening of mural painting, community, and drinks. Every guest leaves with a gift bag full of surprises.
You and someone you love, inside The Works West Seattle before it opens to the public. Tour the space, get hands-on at the Maker Bar, enjoy tasty bites, and raise a glass with Kellie and the founding community.
Work directly with Kellie to design a completely custom experience for you and up to 20 guests. Your own activities, your own vibe, snacks and drinks provided, and a gift bag for every guest that we put real thought into. This is the founding event of your choosing, and there are only five.
What Your Money Builds
The total buildout is $250,000+. I've covered the majority of it through a HELOC, a small business loan, and a lot of stubbornness. This community-driven fundraiser closes the gap.
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The Works is a space for everyone, and that means the bathroom has to be, too.
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We're installing new HVAC ducts to ensure proper airflow, temperature control, and ventilation throughout the studio.
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We will safely restore the original hardwood floors.
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Our architect at Atelier Drome is producing drawings and navigating the permitting process to ensure everything we build is code-compliant, safe, and beautiful.
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The Maker Bar is going to be the heart of The Works — a drop-in creative station where anyone can walk in and make something. Building it out in the new space means custom millwork, tool storage, and electrical to support it all. This is the piece of the buildout that most directly shapes the customer experience from day one.
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These funds cover the physical move and full pay for our team during the gap between locations, when we're not yet generating revenue but still need our people taken care of.
Frequently Asked Questions
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We chose to run this campaign on our own site so we can keep more of your pledge going directly toward the project, and so we can maintain a direct relationship with our backers.
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All rewards are estimated to be delivered in September 2026, but we'll send updates along the way.
Maker Bar credits, birthday parties, and private events can be scheduled anytime from September onward and do not expire so you can use yours whenever it works for you. -
We are planning three dates for mural painting once construction gives us a wall to work with, most likely in August. We'll offer a range of dates and times so that something works for everyone.
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As an LLC, donations are not tax-deductible.
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We welcome kids' parties for ages 6 and up. We'll have a full menu of options to choose from, so you can build the party that fits your group.
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We are moving into the former Click! space at 4540 California Ave SW, right in the heart of Alaska Junction.
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Our Fremont location will be closing on August 31 as we prepare for our move to West Seattle. Between now and then, keep an eye out for an epic sidewalk sale!