who are you
I’m Adam Gorske, the younger brother behind DIY BAR (a craft workshop / bar)!
Tell us about what you do or make.
We provide the tools, materials, instructions, and liquid encouragement for you to create beautiful pieces of art.
where are you located
3522 N Vancouver Ave., Portland, OR 97227
Do you attend a makerspace? Which one?
We used to have space in ADX, but moved out in 2018!
Where can people find you online?
www.diybar.co
How did you get started making stuff?
Jason (my brother) started making skateboard ramps from a young age – which I would help with, and our mom always encouraged us to make things with our hands. She would put out different crafts for us to do together. I’ve never considered myself an artist or a maker, more of a tinkerer. We wanted to share that feeling of satisfaction and accomplishment that we got from making, so we opened DIY BAR!
What product or variation have people really responded to?
Everything is cyclical! People are digging nail and string art and macrame!
Have you been surprised by any responses to your work?
It’s been incredible seeing what people make, and how excited they are to be creating something with their hands!
What difficulties in running a maker business have you found to be the most challenging?
Work-life balance has been challenging! On one hand I love what I do, but I also spend a lot of time doing it!
What do you have on your horizon?
We are trying to open another location!
what is your biggest struggle as a maker business?
We are constantly trying to make things better and improve on our processes. It’s hard to turn that off!
How has your business evolved?
I would say it’s a totally different business from when we opened our doors in 2017. The idea and concept is still the same, but we’ve change the way we do just about everything!
What project are you excited about?
I’m excited about opening another location, and also working on getting some more projects on the menu!
What makers or maker businesses do you admire or have you learned from?
Kelly Roy from ADX was a HUGE help getting us off the ground and providing space, tools, and experience for us when we needed it most.
What is most rewarding about being a maker business?
Getting to share that feeling of satisfaction and accomplishment that comes from making!
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