Aardvark Clay & Supplies — Local services in Santa Ana

I've been a customer here for decades, but only recently have I become a regular potter and customer. They have fair prices on pottery tools and supplies, great prices on clay, and a big selection of glazes and dry goods. You can also buy kilns and other equipment here. Although the business seems to have contracted over the years, I usually find what I need. Pottery supply houses are generally intimidating if you are new to ceramics, so try to relax. There are so many unfamiliar items everywhere you look, the glaze and tool selection can seem pretty confounding, goods can be dusty, not well lit and displayed in a utilitarian way. This is just how it usually is, so don't expect a fancy art store when you walk into Aardvark. In my experience shopping at 5 different pottery supply houses in CA and other states, staff are usually not going to welcome or speak to you unless you interact first or look super lost and on the verge of a nervous breakdown. That's pretty true here. But as soon as you get to Aardvark's register with your $300 worth of supplies (including 5 glazes that you impulse bought and 1 that you came there for), the staff at Aardvark lights up and shows how helpful, fun and nice they are. Remember this for next time and say hi when you come in. Ask all the questions even if they seem dumb. You'll start having fun sooner. Their September anniversary sale is a real madhouse--but it's a lot of fun and very educational. Check the website for the details. Go visit--you need clay stuff, they have a lot...

UNRELIABLE CUSTOMER SERVICE OVER THE PHONE. The store offers great supplies and good variety of clay and glaze materials in person. The friendly staff is knowledgeable in the store. However, the customer service is lacks on large phone orders. I waited weeks on a large order of clay to be delivered--a bit long to wait. The first day it was delivered, more than half the clay had been "misplaced". It took another 3 weeks, and 2 more deliveries to get all the clay, and still, 2 boxes are missing. When the clay is delivered, the truck driver makes no effort to call me to let me know the clay is there, they just dump it with any random person who happens to be nearby and is willing to sign for it. This means that clay can get stolen and that I don't get to check that things are in order. I am frustrated with this time and again. With each delivery, I ask them to call me in advance to tell me when things are going to be delivered--they say they will. They don't call me. They don't even notify me the day before to be sure I'm around. It takes me multiple calls each week to get answers on simple things such as a delivery date, and even then, they never call back. They have a bad habit of not communicating and thinking it's okay. I'm frustrated!!! Aardvark has so many great things, but professional, standard delivery practices are...

I would not shop online from here again. While the clay I received is good, the shipping process (to the Midwest) was absolutely awful.

Got charged $100 for shipping for 75lbs of clay. Figured that made sense, only to see the actual shipping costs on the 2 boxes I got added up to half of the shipping costs. You also don't find out about shipping costs until after you order. As someone with my own online business, there are enough online platforms available to easily calculate shipping costs at checkout.

I received my first box with only 50lbs of clay. Emailed, no answer. Called and then got the last 25lbs of clay few weeks later. At no point did I receive and emails from them about delays/backorders/etc

The best part: I also ordered a press mold that said it would take a few weeks to ship because it's special order. That's understandable...Except I ordered end of October 2021. I've called TWiCe about it, only to be told I'll get a call back and then nothing. I really wanted to like them, but this shipping process is unacceptable.

And I still want...