EASTHAMPTON – From teaching class to making glass, after years of hard work and dedication, a local business owner is making his mark at Juggernaut Glass at the Keystone Mill.

Located at 122 Pleasant St., owner Mark Wurtzel and his team fuse glass pieces together to make his company a success.

Throughout his life, Wurtzel always had a strong passion for art; specifically glass. Originally from Long Island, NY, he served as a public school teacher before moving to Houston, TX. Here is where he decided to create his very own glassblowing establishment.

In 2015, Juggernaut Glass came to life as the first studio opened in Houston. In this space, all kinds of glass creations take place such as glassblowing, flameworking, lampworking, fusing, and slumping.

There are also countless workshops and classes offered to the public. Even though big things happen in Texas he wanted to make a big step toward his future in Western Massachusetts.

“I moved to Easthampton to be with my high school sweetheart,” he said.

After the move, he decided to expand his business and open a studio in Easthampton. It took three years to build the studio and his big break came when he officially opened it in November 2019.

The space is about 2,000 square feet, which is a much larger operation. It’s set up for artists to rent space to work, along with the public taking classes he offers.

“At the Keystone Mill, James Witmer and all the staff have been very supportive of my business. There were a lot of permits and gas inspectors to appease in order to have this public glassblowing company,” Wurtzel said.

Alongside him are four other employees at the Easthampton location. They assist in running classes and sharing their own artistic talents.

Now married to that high school sweetheart, Sandra, with a 3-year-old daughter, much of Wurtzel’s time is spent between home and the studio.

Right now, his main focus is Juggernaut in Easthampton. Similar to most businesses, COVID-19 forced them to shut down in March. After being closed for six and a half months, they recently reopened in mid-September.

“This has been a very rough time. Luckily, now we are able to go in and create art, while taking steps to ensure safety,” stated Wurtzel.

As classes and workshops are back up and running, Juggernaut follows strict COVID guidelines. There has been a decrease in class numbers, keeping it between four to six people in a room. Temperatures are checked at the door and participants wash their hands and sanitize often.

Juggernaut now has rubber hose assembly kits. When you register for a class, the kit is included in the purchase and comes with a brand new mouthpiece. This way the same mouthpieces can be brought home and reused, if taking another class.

Before the pandemic, under normal circumstances, Juggernaut did events such as weddings, bar mitzvahs and birthday parties. Because of their mobile furnace, they can now take their glassblowing work just about anywhere.

“We pack it on a trailer and can do demos in other places. The best thing is we are on location and receive contact directly,” Wurtzel claimed. The mobile furnace has been recently used to make pumpkins at a festival and will continue to be used while avoiding large gatherings.

With the holiday season approaching, classes are filling up fast; specifically ornament making.

In order to participate in classes, children must be 10 years of age. If younger than 18, one must be accompanied by a parent or guardian. However, demonstrations can be done for any age. If interested in registering for classes, visit juggernautglass.com.

With new locations comes new opportunities. The Keystone Mill is directly across from The Boylston Room. Wurtzel has been in talks with them about doing wedding receptions and cocktail hours where people can make their own champagne flutes and other memory keepsakes.

Wurtzel expressed his gratitude for the staff at Keystone Mill and the overall beauty this old building has to offer.

“I’m very happy with the two locations we have now. With so much going on, I hope we don’t move anywhere else,” he said.

His predictions for the future of his company are nothing but optimistic. He said, “There’s so much to look forward to. Glass is absolutely fascinating and definitely has its own agenda. It’s a mystery everyday.”

Wurtzel loves the “communal vibe” that Easthampton has to offer and is looking forward to more years of creating his artistic works at the Keystone Mill.