Helios Move Update From Kristine


Updated 7/28/25

By Kristine Shafer, Owner of Helios Fused Glass Studio

Hi Friends of Helios, 

We have some big news to share! After months (years) of planning, dreaming, and anxiously waiting out delays, we finally have an official move date for Helios Fused Glass Studio! 

✨ Helios is moving to our new, expanded location ✨ 
✨✨August 16! ✨✨ 

Helios Fused Glass Studio 705 Wallingford Bend Dr #107 Austin, TX, 78752 

 

Dates to mark on your calendar:

August 15th | Friday - Final Day at Our Current Location 

We’ll be spending the following 2 weeks carefully moving kilns, glass, and every last frit jar to our new home.  

Important Dates Pre-Move:

  1. Aug. 10 - The cut-off date for getting pieces fired is Sunday, Aug 10. Any projects needing to be fired after Aug 10 will have to wait until we reopen at the new studio. 

  2. Aug. 11 - The Anytime Fusing Class Series will be paused starting Aug 11. It will be available for booking again starting Sept 2. 

  3. Aug. 15 - If you still have projects or materials stored at the studio, please take them home before August 15th. Anything left after this date will be donated to class materials or thrown out.  

August 9th | Saturday, 12–3pm - Farewell Potluck 

At the current Helios address: 13581 Pond Springs Rd. # 107 Austin, TX 78729 

Let’s send off our current studio with good food, laughter, and community. Bring your favorite dish and join us for one last hurrah in the space that started it all. 

If you have any photos from over the years (2007 to today!), send them to info@heliosglass.com and we’ll add them to the photo slideshow for everyone to enjoy during the potuck! 

 

August 30th | Saturday - Reopening at Our New Location 

New Helios address: 705 Wallingford Bend Dr. # 107 Austin, TX 78752 

We’ll be ready to welcome you into our new building with more room for creativity than ever before! More details about the new space will be coming shortly!

A Grand Opening Party is in the works! 

We expect a date in late Oct or Nov for the Grand Opening Party. We’ll have a better idea once we’ve gotten into the new space about what the exact date will be. 

We can’t wait to celebrate this next chapter with you. Thank you for all your support over the years. Whether you’ve taken a class, joined in open studio, collaborated on a project, or just cheered us on from afar, you’ve been a part of the Helios story. 

More details about the new space (and sneak peeks!) are coming soon. For now, we hope to see you at the Farewell Potluck on August 9th, and again when we open our doors at the new studio on August 30th. 

With gratitude and excitement, 

Kristine Shafer & the Helios Team - Sarah Bolm, Stacey Bolnick, Becky Shelby, Malina Cipleu, Taylor Vaughan, Shelly Lance, & Phoenix Vaughan 


Updated 6/12/25

By Kristine Shafer, owner & supreme chaos wrangler of Helios Fused Glass Studio

We’re still at Pond Springs Rd…

…and STILL waiting on the City of Austin’s permitting department. There’s a back and forth of requests from different permitting depts (there’s 4!) including:

- inspections and reports, which were completed and submitted

-changing formats or code tables, which seems to depend on which staffing person is at which desk on which day

-correcting errors - we missed a box, they didn’t see the attached report and counted it missing. My grey hairs are sprouting new grey hairs!

Each change triggers a couple/few weeks turnaround.

On the bright side….the landlords at both locations are being incredibly supportive and accommodating! With the extra time, we keep coming up with new and improved things for the new studio while also cleaning up and organizing the current studio.

So, What’s the Current Plan?

  • We are fully OPEN and STOCKED in our current studio location. (13581 Pond Springs Rd., Ste 107)

  • We’ve moving everything from storage to the new location and putting together new tables and chairs. We’re doing the small stuff to fill the anxiety-ladened days & weeks.

  • We hope to be open at the new location late summer. (705 Wallingford Bend, ATX 78752)

There are More Master classes coming up, where will they be?

Bob Leatherbarrow’s class will be at the current location. (13581 Pond Springs Rd., Ste 107)

I’m so grateful for the love and support from this community! Y’all are seriously the reason I keep at this…also the glass ;)

Kristine


Updated 3/28/25

By Kristine Shafer, Owner Helios Fused Glass Studio

Still waiting…

Our updated permits still have not been approved or otherwise. The City of Austin is requiring an approved Change of Use Certificate before they get back to us on the permits. This is extending their 2 week window to respond one way or another on approval or requested additional action.

What’s the New Plan?

  • We will remain OPEN in our current studio location until at least mid-April, for now. (13581 Pond Springs Rd., Ste 107)

  • The move to the new location will either be mid-April or end of March. (705 Wallingford Bend, ATX 78752)

There are Master classes coming up, will this new move plan affect them?

Catherine Dunstan’s class will be at the current location. (13581 Pond Springs Rd., Ste 107)

Richard Parrish’s class will either be at current Helios or new Helios. I won’t know until we get closer, probably April 15.

Same for Tali Grishpan’s class. I will know probably April 15.

Lots of hugs to this incredibly supportive community!

Kristine


Updated 2/12/25

By Kristine Shafer, Owner Helios Fused Glass Studio

Our Original Moving Date is Moving

Yes, you read that double wording right. The moving date (originally set for the week of March 1-14th) is moving again thanks to the capricious construction gods that rule Austin. But the reality is moving into a 1950's building will create time eating curveballs that only emerge as you pull back sheetrock and ceiling tiles. Oh, and waiting for inspectors. Though, ours is lovely and I wish all construction projects the ease of working with easy going people. 

Newly updated plans are being crafted, new permits filed, and schedules are shifting. 


What’s the New Plan?

We will remain OPEN in our current studio location (13581 Pond Springs Rd., Ste 107) until mid-March, for now.

The move to the new location (705 Wallingford Bend, ATX 78752) will either be the last 2 weeks of March or the 2nd and 3rd weeks of April. 

There’s a Master class in April, will this new move plan affect that?

I'm carefully watching those dates for Catherine Dunstan's class! It will either be held at the current Helios or the new building. But will be happening! 

Warmest hugs to this incredibly supporting community!

Kristine