Massapequa Community Rallies Around Mom's Ceramics

MASSAPEQUA, NY — Mom's Ceramics has been a place that artists of all ages have been coming to for years. Now, the Massapequa community is rallying behind the business to save it from being shut down.

Catherine Camisa has been operating Mom's Ceramics at 944 N. Broadway in Massapequa for more than six years, and for five years in East Meadow before that. The ceramics studio offers classes, birthday parties and ceramics for sale. It's the four-time winner of the Best of Long Island award for best ceramics studio.

The coroanvirus pandemic hit Camisa's business hard. She was forced to close for months. And when she could reopen, it was at a severely reduced capacity. Just as the pandemic hit, Camisa was negotiating a new lease with her landlord. With her business closed, she was unable to pay rent.

Now, her landlord is suing her for $87,000 to cover the back rent and his legal fees. "It's a good spot here, he's been a good landlord, and I want to pay him," Camisa said.

Since the initial lawsuit, Camisa said her landlord and her lawyers struck a deal: if she can pay him $25,000 for back rent, he'll drop the lawsuit and they'll move forward with a new lease.

The Massapequa community has rallied around Mom's to help it stay open. Camisa is holding "Peep Palooza" at Zona Restaurant on March 10. Participants will get dinner and a basket of ceramic peeps that they can paint. The fundraiser sold out in two days, so Camisa expanded it to include a virtual event.

For $30, you can purchase a basket of ceramic Peeps that you can paint at home, and join a Facebook live of the event.

Additionally, Camisa has received a hundred gift baskets from community members and other businesses that she is going to auction off. The Peep Palooze Pre-Game raffle event will be held March 6 and 7 from 4 to 8 p.m. at Mom's, to give people a chance to see what's up for raffle. The actual raffle will be held during Peep Palooza for both those in the restaurant and watching online.

In addition to the fundraiser and the raffle, a GoFundMe has been set up by the community to help raise money for Camisa. Nearly $2,500 has been donated so far. Click here to make a contribution.

"I couldn't be more blessed or more grateful," Camisa said. "I've always tried and always told my kids to pay it forward and help people. I didn't expect the turnout we've gotten."