Last March, as restaurants pivoted from dine-in service to curbside carryout, ceramicists who used to sell to those eateries fired up their kilns to attract the same audience. Despite shrinking orders for their plates, bowls and mugs, launching creative efforts allowed these artists to continue fueling their craft by selling to individuals.
One bright side of restaurant customers now eating at home? They were already familiar with the pottery and ceramics. The Baker’s Table in Newport, Ky., was a steady pre-pandemic client of Bethany Kramer’s, of Bethany Rose Pottery in Melbourne, Ky., buying all but their coffee cups from her, including pasta plates. “I’ve had several people who have dined there that [now] want those pieces,” she says.
The same is true for Christie Goodfellow of CGCERAMICS in Cincinnati, whose restaurant clients before the pandemic included Elske in Chicago; Houndstooth in Benton Harbor, Mich.; and Fish Nor Fowl in Pittsburgh, all drawn to her Scandinavian and Japanese-inspired dinnerware. “My individual orders have grown because people have seen my stuff at restaurants,” she says. “People are missing that experience of going somewhere to eat and now they’re at home. How can that be special? Having something handmade [to eat on] helps.”
In Milwaukee, Plate Collective—a joint venture between husband-wife team Kate Riley (a chef-potter) and Dan Jacobs (chef-owner of local restaurants including DanDan)—kicked into even higher gear. A twice-monthly subscription series dubbed ‘Dinner at Home’ pairs one of Kate’s bowls or plates with one of Dan’s meals (ramen is always the first Sunday of the month). They also partner with Zak Baker (owner of Ca'Lucchenzo in Wauwatosa, Wis.) on a monthly pasta series. In April it was Lasagna Lamb Ragu featuring LaClare Family Creamery goat cheese and handmade noodles.
Before the pandemic, Jono Pandolfi Designs in Union City, N.J., sold ceramics almost exclusively to restaurants, such as New York City’s Eleven Madison Park. “Up until a couple of years ago, we bounced around the idea of an e-commerce site,” says general manager Nick Pandolfi, to target consumers, “but it was always secondary. We had this channel set up but it wasn’t really a priority.”
Then, in March of 2020, when “every client told us to either pause or cancel our orders” Pandolfi says, and the 16-employee studio temporarily closed to follow social-distancing guidelines, conversation about the website resumed. “Within a week our website sales started to take off,” says Pandolfi. They soon learned neutral hues (tan and white) didn’t wow at home like with chefs—who want their food to be the focus, not dish colors. “Brighter, more eye-catching colors” like persimmon, yellow, turquoise and sapphire blue were employed—and get more “likes” on social media.
Limited-edition pieces designed for the home cook, like a fermentation crock in partnership with Brad Leone that quickly sold out, and an exclusive-color collaboration with bedding line Parachute Home (a serving platter and dinnerware, which also sold out). Food52’s The Jono Line consists of dinnerware, hand-thrown mugs, a serving platter and serving bowl featuring a white interior and raw, unglazed exterior.
Because orders weren’t being picked up through trade shows and hospitality catalogues like before, Jono Pandolfi invested in a photo shoot of its products and hired a marketing director to revamp the website to be more slanted for consumers, and also boost customer engagement on Facebook and Instagram.
All those extra tweaks paid off. “We ended up replacing the lost hospitality revenue with the e-commerce revenue,” says Pandolfi. “Now we’re getting back to our roots.”
Outdoor sales to sell off seconds, slightly irregular pieces, or surplus stock proved to be a popular means for restaurant ceramicists to generate additional cash flow. Kramer hosted a sale in her home studio’s backyard last October. “Everybody wore their masks so it was really safe,” she says. “I’m planning to do one again this year.” She also continues to sell pieces through her website and on consignment at local stores.
Goodfellow also held an appointment-based sale within her 13’ x 13’ showroom, in her backyard, last year.
As restaurants reopen, ceramicists like Kramer feel inspired. “The week that everything shut down [March of 2020], I had 20 boxes ready to ship to [Brimstone Restaurant Group in] Florida,” she says. “I said, ‘Do you want me to hold off on this?’ and they said, ‘Yeah, let’s hold off.” Kramer staggered out the order over the rest of the year. But she also pursued new restaurant clients. The Rhined, a cheese and wine shop in Cincinnati, launched open-air dining for its cheese and charcuterie plates last year, serving them on a different featured ceramicist’s (including Bethany Rose Pottery) wares each month. “That was a pretty big order,” says Kramer.
As restaurants started to open back up for dine-in service, Kramer received news of possible new clients. “I’ve actually had a few different chefs reach out to me in the last two weeks,” she says. “We are still working out details, but things are definitely looking up.” The same is true for Goodfellow. “I have been working on a re-order for Elske, who reopened the end of April. Aside from that, I have had a couple other restaurant inquiries,” says Goodfellow. “I am currently booking into early-2022 for custom orders.”
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