Molten Makerspace: Ignite Creativity, Connection, and Community in the Triad
Molten Makerspace is where creativity, community, and curiosity come to life. In just one year, we’ve filled every inch of our 1,200 sq ft space. Classes are at capacity. Events are packed. Our retail space is overflowing.
Now, we’re expanding into a 4,000 sq ft space (more than tripling our size!). Back this project to help us become the creative force our community needs.
Why We’re Expanding
When we opened our hard location in 2024, we had a bold idea: create a warm, welcoming space where creativity could thrive and people could come together to learn, play, and grow. That idea caught fire, fast.
Molten Makerspace consists of – a makerspace, a gamerspace, retail shop, entrepreneurship development, and community events/engagement. Read more about them below:
- Makerspace – We offer classes and lessons open to everyone. We also have memberships that unlock full creative freedom. Members have daily access to the equipment
- Gamerspace – Connect with others through dungeons & dragons, board games, video games, and more! Enjoy casual and competitive play.
- Retail – Shop over 45 local artists, makers, and small businesses under one roof! 70% of each sale goes directly to the maker, so you can feel good about supporting local makers. Enjoy our collection of board games, TCG’s, and gaming accessories too!
- Entrepreneurship – Our makerspace is designed for entrepreneurs to thrive. From business development, to prototyping, to creating products and displays…we have you covered.
- Community Event & Engagement – We host weekly makerfaires at local businesses, connecting makers with the community. We also host educational demonstrations and talks for all ages and demographics!
What makes us one of a kind?
From the beginning, we built a space that was inviting, cozy and supportive. We didn’t want to replicate the typical makerspace model. Too often, those spaces feel cold and utilitarian, like they are designed for projects instead of people.
Traditional makerspaces are non-profit run, requiring them to rely heavily on donations (which often slows innovation and limits access). Molten is different. We’re a for-profit space, intentionally, because it lets us invest in state of the art tools, adapt quickly, and create an experience that meets real community needs.
Since opening our hard location 1.5 years ago…
- Classes are at capacity
- We’ve outgrown our retail display space (we currently represent 45 makers!)
- Hosted sold-out game nights and events
- Seen strangers become collaborators and families find new shared passions
We’re out of space, and the demand is only growing. And with your backing, we’re ready to grow!
What This Expansion Makes Possible
We’ve signed the lease on a new 4,000 sq ft space, over triple the size of our current 1,200 sq ft studio. That gives us room to:
- Add more classes and welcome more students
- Host larger events, game nights, and community celebrations
- Create a dedicated space for painting, stained and fused glass, and new disciplines
- Expand our gamerspace to include themed gaming pods & more play areas
- Grow our retail store to support over 150 local artists and makers
- We are keeping our current 1,200 sq/ft space for birthdays, events, teambuilding, and coworking space!
Your pledge funds tools and access for everyone!
What do you get if you pledge?
When you choose to back Molten Makerspace, you’re not just helping us grow… you’re joining the story. Our pledge tiers are designed to give something meaningful back, from experiences to keepsakes!
Some rewards open the door to a lifetime membership, while others invite you to dive in with bundles of lessons in glass, laser engraving, digital design, and more!
We’re thrilled to feature exclusive creations from some of our most loved makers, with 70% of each item going directly back to the maker!
Every tier carries a piece of our community, and we’re excited to share it with you.
For the artist:
Makerspace: What we have and what we are adding!
Our makerspace provides ultimate creative freedom for artists, makers, and hobbyists! We provide cutting edge equipment perfect for prototyping, creation, and even marketing! Our friendly staff and teachers are always around to help in your creation process. Read below to see what we have, and what we are adding!
Glassworking:
- Current: 4x Flameworking Torches GTT Scorpion (Student Torch), 2x Chilli Pepper Annealing Kiln, 1x Paragon Fusing Kiln.
- New: 9x Flameworking Torches GTT Scorpion (Student Torch), 1x Flameworking Torch
GTT Mirage (Demo & Advanced Torch), 2x Chilli Pepper Annealing Kiln, 1x Paragon Fusing Kiln. Storage room for oxygen and hidden gas lines for torches. Multi-use area suitable for fusing and stained glass, which we cannot currently accommodate.
Laser Cutters & Engravers:
- Current: xTool P2, xTool F1, xTool F1 Ultra, xTool M1 Ultra
- New: xTool DTF Printer, xTool Metal CNC & Laser Welder, xTool P3 & P3 Ultra, xTool F2, xTool F2 Ultra
3D Printers:
- Current: 4x Bambu Carbon X, 2x Anycubic Photon Mono M5s Pro with Cure & Wash Chambers
- New: 2x Bambu H2D, 2x Bambu A1, 4x Bambu H2D, 2x A1 Mini, 1x Bambu A1 Mini, 2x
Snapmaker U1, 2x Anycubic Photon Mono M7 Max with Cure & Wash Chamber, 2x Large Format Resin Printer, Finishing equipment
Sewing:
- Current: 4x Singer Heavy Duty Sewing Machines
- New: Embroidery Machine
Image Transfer:
Current: HPN Signature Pro 16×24 & Mug Press, Epson Sublimation Printer, Cricut Pro Vinyl Cutter, xTool Screenprinter
- New: xTool DTF Printer, Hat Heat Press, Oversized Heat Press, HPN Signature Pro
16×24 & Hat and Mug Press, Epson Sublimation Printer, Cricut Pro Vinyl Cutter, New Cricut vinyl cutter, Mini cricut vinyl cutter
Candlemaking:
- Current: 2 large wax melters, 4 smaller wax melters, 2 kitchenaid mixers, pouring equipment, organic fragrance oils
- New: 2 more mixers and small wax melters
Painting:
- Current: No dedicated space
- New: Dedicated space for painting and miniature painting, fusing the makerspace and gamerspace.
Misc:
- Button and magnet press, UV Printer, Design Computers for each makerspace table (1-2), surge protectors for each space. Short Throw projector and screen.
For the gamer:
We believe gaming is a powerful form of creativity, and a way to build real connections! From D&D and TCGs to mini painting and retro games, we designed the gamerspace to be cozy and welcoming. Our new and improved gamerspace will be a whole new level of fun!
Right now, we have:
- A 20-person game table
- 4 TVs and current-gen consoles
- 2 gaming PCs
- 200+ board & card games
- A growing video game library
In our new space, we will have:
Everything listed above, plus…
- 14 two-story themed gaming pods, for a semi-private gamig experience
- 2 rentable pods for D&D and game nights
- 8 console gaming pods
- 4 PC gaming pods
- Dedicated miniature painting area
Modular event/tournament tables
- Expanded board, card, and video game library
Right now, our gamerspace is often packed, which makes it hard to host larger gaming events while still keeping a cozy, comfortable atmosphere for individual play. With the expanded space and new semi-private gaming pods, we will be able to host many more game nights without disrupting the experience for anyone. We are also excited to introduce gaming + craft nights where players can do things like create custom dice or design their own D&D miniatures!
For the entrepreneur:
Molten Makerspace has always believed that makers deserve the opportunity to earn a sustainable income from their work. Traditional galleries take 50-70% of each sale and add storage fees on top, creating an environment where it is nearly impossible for artists to grow or even stay afloat. At Molten, we flip that model. Makers receive 70% of every sale in our retail space, with no storage fees ever. Artists shouldn’t
At Molten:
- No shelf or storage fees
- Receive 70% of every sale
- Year-round consistent representation
- Representation at offsite events and vendor markets, giving makers more time to focus on what’s important…making!
Teaching opportunities – makers, entrepreneurs, and experts can share skills with our community!
We represent 45+ local artists and makers in our retail area. With this expansion, we can support over 150, giving makers a stable, consistent platform to build their brands and businesses.
Endless Creation Possibilities!
From prototyping, to production, to creating displays and merch… Molten Makerspace is designed to help entrepreneurs thrive! Our makerspace is outfitted with cutting edge equipment, chosen to help you make the highest quality creations.
Our helpful staff are here to help you with every step of the process! Whether you need help with business development or figuring out a design software (and everything in-between!), we are here to support you.
Refer to the “For the artist” section for a full list of our maker equipment.
For the animal lover:
If you’ve visited Molten Makerspace, you’ve met Lofn and Rutabaga – our furry shop companions!
Lofn is our fluffy (and sometimes loud) great pyrenees dog! She loudly welcomes each guest, and then asks for belly rubs.
Rutabaga is our silly (and sometimes spicy) tortie cat. She loves to meet new people – her favorite way to interact is to pet herself on your hand!
We will be expanding our furry family at the new location – with a pair of miniature highland cows! They will have their very own room where you can meet them, and even cuddle them! Highland cows can be litter box trained with the moo-loo technique and enjoy going on walks, making them perfect shop companions. They will be travelling to events with us too – so find them out and about!
Members enjoy unlimited cow cuddles.
Rewards:
- Memberships – Get access to exclusive, discounted memberships!
- Classes & Lessons – Receive discounted class and lesson bundles.
- Exclusive Swag – Receive exclusive items, made right here at Molten!
- Maker-Made Items – We are partnering with 5 of the makers we represent here at Molten! It’s a win-win: you get access to high quality, local products and each maker receives 70% of each pledge of their items! See more about them below:
Kickstart Twelve Oaks Cannery! – YouTube
Kickstart Shear Panic! – YouTube
To Sum It Up, Your Backing Builds This:
Grow our retail program from 43 to 150+ makers, supporting sustainable income and visibility
- Expand class capacity to meet growing demand
- Add new disciplines like stained glass and DTF Printing
- Host more community events, parties, tournaments, and team-building sessions
- Build themed gaming pods and improve accessibility in the gamerspace
- Support makers and entrepreneurs with mentorship, resources, and collaborative tools
- Keep things affordable and inclusive, ensuring access for everyone
Your support means:
- We can stay accessible and sustainable
- We can equip the space without compromising on quality
- We can offer more opportunities for more people, right away
- This isn’t just about making things. It’s about making space for people to learn, to try, to connect, and to dream big.
Stretch Goals
Meeting our funding goal of $75,000 will allow us to get all of the equipment we need, while keeping classes & memberships affordable.
- $100,000 – This will allow us to host a free monthly event, open to all!
- $250,000 – Mobile makerspace & mobile retail units.
- $500,000 – Open a satellite location in a nearby city. All backers and members can vote on which city!
- $100,000,000 – $150,000,000 – Open a downtown High Point location. We are planning to open a 30,000-40,000 flagship location in downtown High Point within 3 years. Meeting this goal would allow us to immediately start the process of opening it!
- $500,000,000 – Bring furnace glassblowing, woodworking, and metalworking to the downtown High Point Location!
Meet the Founders
Molten Makerspace was born from a shared dream that began around our kitchen table. We’re Dara and Morgan, a married team with different backgrounds but the same passion.
In 2022, we each launched our own ventures, working side by side, driven by complementary visions. We didn’t realize it at the time, but we were building two sides of the same solution…
Dara, who at the time was working as a welder, had been a glassblower since she was 15 years old. Her greatest passion was creating with glass and sharing its magic through teaching. However, she saw how rare hands-on access to glassworking was, especially in the Piedmont Triad Region. Determined to change that, she launched a mobile glass studio, bringing live demos, educational programs, and creative experiences to schools, festivals, and team-building events. She sees glassworking as an art form and a trade that nurtures problem solving, resilience, and creativity. Her mission is to make glassworking truly accessible.
Morgan, a systems thinker and entrepreneur, was watching artists burn out. So many makers were stuck in a cycle of pouring time into creating while struggling to sell. High gallery fees (often 50–70%) left little room for sustainability, and most artists didn’t have the time or resources to market themselves effectively. Morgan built a business to represent local artists at markets, and flipped the standard model on its head: creators kept 70% of their sales, while he handled logistics and outreach.
We weren’t trying to build the same business, but it quickly became clear: we were building different sides of the same solution.
That’s when Molten Makerspace became real. We combined our businesses, and opened a brick and mortar location. Now, we’re ready to level up.