Slowing down in the pottery business, one less thing

[Mark C.]

 

 

This time last year I decided to pack in my 44 years of Christmas sales at a small shopping center in a small town close to me.  I had made a special locking booth for just this location and the spot was very cost effective. I picked the dates I wanted to be open in December and paid a flat fee of $200. 

Now when I started back in 1979 selling here I was in front of a very busy drug store. I think it was called Value Giant-then it became Payless Drugs for many years and I dealt with the same manager for 17 years. Back then I paid 10% of sales on a trust basis. That store became Rite Aid then CVS. I went thru many a manager and cut it down to a one-time booth fee-if I recall it was 400-600$ for my 18-20 day run in December.

The local Safeway manager at one point asked if I could set up outside his store so that year and for about 5-6 years as was next to the  store exit. This was a busy location and for the 1^st time I got some late day sun into the booth as it faces west. The business was always good. Safeway went thru lots of managers and I decided that I had enough as they were always changing the contact. This location was 600$ flat fee but one manager wanted me to move away from the exit to a dead zone. That year I moved over to the local owner’s pet store and I have been in front there for at least 15 years. I cut a deal with the shopping center manager direct and offered $200 flat fee to whatever dates I wanted in December. The pet store does zero advertising and is a local favorite (small town local store) I have 7 signs that advertise my sale on private property around town. The signs  are in key spots around town and also advertise in local paper so the pet store gets my customers and I get theirs it’s a win win. 

 

Last year a few days before xmas I was taking to my sales help and we both decided it was time to pack it in. I told the manager I was done but had another potter in mind to take it over. 

I called him before new year’s about 1 year ago today about taking over the booth and made him a deal he could not refuse. I would teach him how to set the booth up and take it down as long as he takes it all away next year from me to store at his place  (it’s an install that takes a few hours) and it connected to building and I use the power from Pet store for lighting.

I said the booth and racks are all free and that my insurance is paid up for 2023 but in 2024 he would have to get his own. All I asked for was the $200 for booth fee. 

The one big thing was he got long covid in February 2020 and it nearly killed him (he is young guy) Since then he has not sold or made pot and it’s been a long slow recovery.

He works in high fire  reduction fired Porcelain (Dave’s same as me) and he has great work.

 

That all said I gave him a year’s notice. 

Well we just packed up his booth xmas eve as I always have the past 44 years and I did show him how to build it and helped him with details and have showed him the ropes. His 1^st sale  at this location was good for him and he’s on his way to making a storage area to get the booth and racks from me this year to keep at his place. 

I was only going to do this teaching once as I have no other person in our area to give this to.

I feel I’m paying it forward and hope he continues on a path to success as I have had at this location. I had built a huge Christmas season of sales and now it’s one less thing for me to do at xmas. 

Now it’s just keeping my 7 outlets supplied at the holiday season and no more retail myself at xmas. 

All part of the slow down plan

Here’s a few photos of His work in new to him booth this past few weeks.

Edited December 30, 2023 by Mark C.

[Babs]

3 hours ago, Mark C. said:

 

 

This time last year I decided to pack 

 

What a great story and such a fine example of helping others along a difficult road for many.. That young potter has been given such a selfless gift , hope it is infectious.

 

[JohnnyK]

Glad to hear that you are finally kinda retiring. I was in the remodeling business for almost 40 years and I kinda retired from that business just before the fires that destroyed Paradise, CA, and a lot of northern CA. Because of the demand for contractors to help rebuild what seemed to be all of northern California, I could have gotten back in and made another fortune but decided to stay out of it. Retirement has been good because it gives me the opportunity to pursue my pottery and farming enterprises as well as some charity work with a local food locker.

Enjoy the respite!

[Hulk]

Almost 6.5 years in, I'm still sayin' retirement can be good-oh.
...important it is, imo, to stay vitally engaged (aka "busy")!

[Kelly in AK]

Making the world a better place. Good man. I appreciate the sharing.