I am so excited for our first Meet a Mom of 2026, featuring Melissa Hare, the Founder and Owner of The Crafty Place.
Originally from Philadelphia, Melissa moved to Hingham with her husband who is originally from the South Shore. Melissa has always been incredibly creative and successfully ran her own Etsy shop for many years. In June 2024, she jumped at the opportunity to launch The Crafty Place. Since then, the business has grown significantly, and they are now moving to a larger space down the road in Cohasset.
The Crafty Place is a studio for all ages, founded on the belief that crafting is for everyone, regardless of experience. They specialize in creating unforgettable events—including unique birthday parties, toddler story times, and adult workshops—that allow guests to express their creativity. The studio is designed to be a supportive environment where children feel empowered to express themselves through art.
Keep reading to learn more about Melissa and find out what her go-to playlist is!
Where are you from originally?
I’m from the Philadelphia area. My husband is from Hingham and went to college in Philly so that’s where we met before finally making the move to Boston. After our second child, we decided to leave the city and head to Hingham to settle down.
Tell us about your family! How many kids, names/ages?
My husband’s name is Jamie and we’ve been together for about 14 years – we met in Philadelphia before finally landing in Hingham. We have two boys – James Junior is 7 and Sam is 4. They are both very active and keep us pretty busy! They’re very proud that their mom is “The Crafty Place Lady” and love spending time at my studio using their imaginations to create whatever they can think of. Can’t forget to mention our dog, Goldie. She’s a 1 year old Australian Labradoodle and such a joy to be with!
How did you start your business?
I suppose you could say my background is very “crafty” – I ran an Etsy Shop for many years while staying home with my boys. I would knit, crochet, quilt and sew children’s items and loved learning new craft skills so I can add more items to my Shop. Eventually I decided I needed a little bit of a change and was presented with the opportunity to start The Crafty Place. That was June of 2024 and it’s been full steam ahead since then!
Where do you now call home and how long have you lived there?
We ended up in Crow Point in Hingham in March of 2022 and love it so much! My whole family (including our dog) enjoys being on the water as much as possible so we’re very grateful to be within walking distance to our neighborhood beach as well as the Hingham Yacht Club.
What is your favorite part about living in the South Shore?
The access to water! I constantly pinch myself that this is where we call home. Where I grew up, we’d have to travel an hour+ to get to a beach or any body of water, so I’m thankful every single day. The water is so calming and such a big part of my family’s life from swimming to boating to sailing.
What family activity do you enjoy most?
It’s a toss up between hiking on a new or well-loved trail with our dog, or spending the day on our boat. Anything we can do together while away from screens is a win for us.
What is your favorite part about the work you do?
My favorite part of my job is watching a child’s confidence grow in real time. The moment they realize they can do something or discover a love for a specific type of craft that they didn’t know they had is so fun. To offer a safe space for these kids to come and be themselves means the world to me and is why I love what I do so much.
Are you involved with any non-profits or do any volunteering?
Yes! I previously worked for an incredible nonprofit organization – Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation. Based out of Philadelphia, they raise funds for childhood cancer research and services. I’m so thankful for that opportunity because it engrained in me the importance of giving back when you can. At The Crafty Place, we’ve done many fundraisers for charities, as well as creating holiday cards that we donate to hospitals, and even an event to benefit flood victims in Texas. I think that involving kids with charity and community involvement at an early age is so important and I’ll continue to find ways to include both with my studio.
What do you find to be the toughest part about being a working mom?
With The Crafty Place, we’re mostly busy on weekends which means some busy weekends I have to miss sporting events or other fun stuff with my family. That’s probably the hardest part for me – I wish I could be in many places at once. I’m hopeful that one day I’ll have enough team members to help me balance out my weekend schedule a lot better!
What is your best advice for a new mom?
Everything is just a phase – for better or worse! Enjoy it all and know that it all gets better and better! Also, I promise they won’t want to be sneaking in your bed forever.
What is something people would be surprised to know about you?
I’ve gone sky diving before. It even surprises me when I think about the fact that I’ve jumped out of a plane that is 10,000 feet in the sky. It was for a fundraiser to benefit a charity which is why I did it!
Your go-to Pandora/Spotify/Apple Music station?
Personally, it’s Taylor Swift. And professionally, it’s also Taylor Swift.
Your favorite local spot for: date night, coffee break, workout, new outfit, self-care, “me time”
There are so many awesome places on the South Shore – we’re so lucky! I’m most excited to get more involved in the Cohasset community with our move there in a few months. For a restaurant, I’m loving Hooper’s Judge – highly recommend!
Make sure to follow The Crafty Place on social media and check out their website for all information in regards to their classes and specific events. Just recently she has dropped all information in regards to Summer Camp, specifically for ages 5-10. Each week is a different theme and there is an option for half or full days. Seems like such an awesome time!
Besides Summer, you must stop in and start crafting!