A Cambridge glassware and artisan-made home goods shop is expanding to Brookline, with plans to open a second location on Harvard Street this fall.
Glass Ripples, currently located on Elm Street just south of Davis Square, is taking over the space at 305 Harvard Street, previously home to Boston General Store.
Filled with items like monochrome swirl-patterned wine glasses, fruit-shaped cocktail napkins and molded fish candles, Glass Ripples exclusively stocks work by independent artists and designers.
“There are artists from everywhere,” said owner Sifan Wu. “Some are handmade, some are designed. I first just chose products based on my liking … But I definitely want to stock independent artists and designers, not big brands.”
In addition to its wares, the storefront offers glass fusing workshops for up to six people at a time. For $78, attendees have the chance to create coasters or magnets, or upgrade to a plate for an additional $50. Customers can select from the store’s stock of glass sheets, stringers, and friz (crushed glass particles) covering the full color spectrum, cutting pieces and arranging sections in their desired design. One to two weeks later, after Glass Ripples staff have fused each project’s glass pieces together in a kiln, participants can retrieve their creations.
To grow Glass Ripples’ customer base, Wu has built a significant audience on Instagram, reaching 17.9K followers since its opening, and attracting the attention of local social media content creators.
One content creator named Fi (@fmshoang) attended a workshop earlier this summer where she created a glass frog.
“It was a difficult class, but fun and easy to follow,” she told Brookline.News. “Difficult in the sense that, depending on your design, the level of [glass] cutting will increase.”
“Last year we took a workshop class, and both made cute coasters,” said another creator, Abigail Sullivan (@foodiesof617). “On top of that, I regularly check out the store for gifts for friends. Everything is adorable, and it feels so nice to support a local shop owner.”
Glass Ripples originally opened at 200 Elm St in North Cambridge in May 2024. Seeing the potential of the 740 sq. ft. building, Wu gave the Cambridge shop a makeover, covering the taupe exterior with a crisp coat of white paint and pastel blue trim to match the curated aesthetic envisioned for the shop’s interior.
From the start, Wu envisioned the business would expand, and began looking for the second location shortly after securing the current Davis Square storefront.
“I feel really lucky finding that place because I’ve been looking for almost two years, but there was no place I could afford. But since Coolidge Corner is a really great location with really good foot traffic, I could afford to pay a little more,” she said.
While its Davis Square location is tucked in a slightly obscured alcove between Seven Hills Presbyterian Church and MEM Tea, this new location — situated across from the Coolidge Corner Theater — promises to draw foot traffic more readily.
Following suit with the Davis Square store’s aesthetic, the new location will feature the same signature color pops and nontraditional forms, Wu told Brookline.News. However, the new location plans to integrate more natural wood throughout the space, helping its glass creations take center stage.
The new location will also offer a workshop space that will grow the business’s capacity for glass fusing classes. On top of its traditional coaster, plate, and magnet offerings, Wu plans to host glass jewelry classes and eventually expand to ceramics offerings and pop-up events.
Wu said the new Brookline storefront is pending final inspections with the town and completing minor construction ahead of an anticipated grand opening in late September or early October.
Glass Ripples plans to host an opening event to mark the occasion, with more details to come.
This story was first published in Brookline.News and is republished with permission.
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