For many small businesses in Jamaica, Christmas is more than a season of goodwill. It is a critical period when sales can provide the financial cushion needed to survive the slower months ahead. For makers, creatives and independent operators, the weeks leading up to December often determine how the next year begins. This year, however, that lifeline has been disrupted.
Hurricane Melissa tore through communities across the island just as many small businesses were preparing for their busiest season. In Savannah-la-Mar, Westmoreland, one creative studio found itself abruptly stalled. BAUGHaus Design Studio, a ceramics studio rooted in rural Jamaica, suffered significant damage and only regained electricity this week, weeks after the storm passed.
What should have been a season of production, sales and momentum instead became a lesson in survival. In this edition of our Surviving Hurricane Melissa series, we speak with ceramist and founder Dana Baugh about building and sustaining a creative business in Jamaica, navigating the aftermath of the storm, and the long road to recovery after hundreds of thousands of dollars in losses. She also shares how BAUGHaus is rebuilding through community support and preparing for a new collection set to launch in early 2026.
View this post on InstagramA post shared by BAUGHaus Design Studio: Authentic Jamaican Handmade Pottery (@baughaus)
When the Storm Hit
When Hurricane Melissa approached, ceramist and BAUGHaus founder Dana Baugh made the decision to shelter with her family at her mother’s home in Savannah-la-Mar. Her mother was off the island, and the location felt safer than her home in Bluefields. It was also next door to her studio.
That decision proved necessary.
“The storm itself was intense and traumatic,” Dana recalls. Water poured into the house, ceilings collapsed, doors and windows had to be constantly secured, and glass shattered as the wind tore through the property. Outside, flooding caused further damage, including to her vehicle. “In that moment, my only concern was making sure everyone made it through okay.”
The studio did not escape the storm. Part of the roof was blown off. A glass window shattered. Tools were lost. Wiring was affected. Nearly 90 per cent of BAUGHaus’ packaging materials, including boxes, labels, gift wrap and cushioning, had to be discarded.
While most of the finished products were spared and the stock room survived largely intact, the real impact came after the storm had passed.
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Weeks Without Power, Weeks Without Income
From late October through mid-December, the studio had no electricity. For a ceramics business, that meant no kilns, no mixers, no compressors, no lighting and no production. It also meant no income.
“All I could do was clean, salvage what I could, and slowly begin putting things back together,” Dana says.
Recovery was slow and uneven. Working conditions were difficult, with extreme heat, displaced equipment and uncertainty around when it would be safe to resume operations. Even now, some wiring and lights remain non-functional, and an electrician must inspect the system before production can fully restart.
Beyond the physical damage was the emotional weight of rebuilding during what should have been the most productive time of the year. “The process has been isolating and frustrating,” Dana admits, particularly without consistent support structures for creative businesses.
Community as a Lifeline
If formal systems were slow to respond, the community was not.
Customers from across Jamaica and the diaspora checked in, shared BAUGHaus’ story and offered encouragement. Some offered to place orders knowing that production would not resume until next year, simply to help with cash flow. Others showed up physically to help clean and organise when the task became overwhelming.
“It reminded me that BAUGHaus doesn’t exist in isolation,” Dana says. “Being able to share this experience with the diaspora, and have people understand what a creative business goes through, has been incredibly heartening.”
That collective support has become an informal safety net, sustaining the studio through weeks of uncertainty.
What It Takes to Rebuild
Right now, rebuilding BAUGHaus is about stability. Consistent electricity. Replacement equipment. Raw materials. Packaging. The most direct form of support, Dana explains, is through purchases and pre-orders, which allow her to reinvest in production and cover immediate costs.
Looking ahead, she has set a longer-term goal of installing a solar system at the studio. The aim is energy independence and protection against future outages. “To reach that goal, I’ll need to roughly double my orders next year,” she says. “Every purchase now contributes to making the studio more resilient.”
Though electricity has returned to her neighbourhood, full operations will resume once the studio’s wiring has been inspected. Dana plans to restart production immediately after, with hopes of shipping orders by the end of January.
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Creating Through Loss
Even amid recovery, creativity has not stopped.
BAUGHaus’ upcoming collection, Porcelain Country House, draws inspiration from rural Jamaica and the board houses scattered across the island. These modest homes, full of history and memory, have long fascinated Dana. The collection includes small porcelain replicas of board houses, a light switch cover and a hanging Christmas ornament.
Hurricane Melissa gave the collection new weight. Entire communities were damaged. Historic buildings, including Dana’s former high school, Manning School, were affected. “That loss strengthened my determination to release this collection,” she says. “Not just as objects, but as a tribute to the heritage and beauty of these homes.”
The collection will not launch during the 2025 holiday season. Instead, pre-orders will open in early January, allowing Dana to focus fully on production once the studio is operational. Part of the proceeds will go directly towards helping families she knows personally rebuild after the hurricane.
“If anything,” she reflects, “the message of home, memory and resilience feels even more meaningful now.”
Support That Matters
In the short term, Dana is hosting a BYOB ‘Perfectly Imperfect Seconds Sale’, offering second or imperfect pieces accumulated over the past decade at discounts of up to 60 per cent. The sale helps clear space for new 2026 products while generating much-needed funds.
The studio will be open for in-person shopping from December 21 to 24 in Savannah-la-Mar, with Instagram Live shopping sessions planned for those unable to visit Westmoreland in person.
Alongside the sale, BAUGHaus continues to produce bespoke handmade vanity lights, crafted using recycled African glass beads, seagrass rope and vintage Edison bulbs. Each piece is handmade in Jamaica and made to order, reflecting the studio’s commitment to sustainability, craft and thoughtful design even in the midst of recovery.
Updates, including information on extended Live Instagram Shopping dates, bespoke light orders and pre-orders for the upcoming Porcelain Country House collection, will be shared via BAUGHaus’ mailing list and social media platforms.
View this post on InstagramA post shared by BAUGHaus Design Studio: Authentic Jamaican Handmade Pottery (@baughaus)
Moving Forward, One Step at a Time
For Dana, recovery is not a straight line. “Give yourself grace,” she says. “Rebuilding takes time.”
She speaks especially to fellow creatives, reminding them of their role as cultural keepers. “We are the heartbeat and essence of Jamaica. Don’t go silent. Keep creating. Keep sharing your work.”
And for all small business owners navigating loss and uncertainty, her message is simple. Start again if you must. Ask for help. Move one foot ahead each day.
“A storm may come,” Dana says, “but the sun always shines again. Your work matters.”
