Deciding she needed a new career path several years ago, Charlotte Lawrie came to Schoolcraft College looking for a change. She found it and later opened her own shop in downtown Garden City.
A car crash nearly 20 years ago made Charlotte Lawrie realize she needed to change career paths.
Long a staple in the customer service field, Lawrie had dreams of working her way up in her field, eventually becoming a manager with a great benefits package. But after the car crash, she found it difficult to stand for long periods of time, which made her reconsider her career choice.
Realizing she enjoyed the creative side of business, Lawrie – a Garden City High School alumna – decided to go back to school and learn graphic design.
“I was like. ‘There’s got to be something else I can do,’” she said. “I thought, ‘I’m going to go to school and I’m going to design websites, because I love doing that kind of stuff.’”
Looking around, she discovered the amazing faculty at Schoolcraft College and enrolled.
Here, she embraced her creative side, taking a photography class and falling in love with creating beautiful images with a camera. She was urged by family and friends to become a photographer.
While Lawrie enjoyed taking senior photos and other portraits – especially once she opened a photo studio in a permanent location in Garden City – it wasn’t paying the bills. Then another pivot came: after her sister used her space one day for a craft party, she realized she could make that her living.
Thus, Creative Sol Makery was born.
Opening in 2014, the shop located at 5909 Middlebelt in downtown Garden City, has become Lawrie’s passion. In addition to selling art and art supplies, the space has a dedicated back room for crafters to host events. The shop has seen plenty of success, including being named the Business of the Month by the Wayne County Commission for September 2025.
Lawrie credits her time at Schoolcraft College as the reason for her success in operating the store. Being exposed to a wide range of experiences, especially as a post-traditional student in her 30s, gave her a new outlook on life. Besides attending classes, Lawrie got involved with the student photography club and worked at The Schoolcraft Connection newspaper. She even submitted a design for the Michigan Jazz Festival one year, which was selected as the event’s logo.
“I did my research, and it was very important to me where I got my education from,” she said. “If it wasn’t for Schoolcraft, I wouldn’t have done any of this.”
Her involvement on campus was incredibly valuable, said Rena Laverty, who works in the Student Activities Office and serves as the adviser for The Schoolcraft Connection.
“Charlotte’s passion for art and photography has always been remarkable. Working with her as a student was a true pleasure,” Laverty said. “Watching her thrive for more than a decade after graduation reflects the creativity and drive she brought to Schoolcraft College from the very start.”
Lawrie’s advice for students in a similar situation as her? Don’t be afraid to make the move and enroll.
“It scares people because they’re thinking about homework and all that. But if you want to do something creative and fun, they have that. You don’t have to be scared,” she said. “There are so many offerings at that Schoolcraft.”