The MBA suits Ron Johnsoned the Pottery.
This place isn't worth driving by it.
You should not have to hunt for a bargin marked "On Sale" at a true Factory Outlet. Seriously, some of these reviews are strange. 15 minutes in this place and I was ready to go. I see no point of returning. We used to spend a day at the out Pottery. This place has all the charm of hanging out at a gas station or 7-11.
This is just another attempt to try to cash in on young, dumb, duffers, up talk, shopper, neatly ignoring the population over 25-99 will always out number the 16-24 group.. The idea I guess is make up in lost volume by higher prices, a plus, means less work for the retailer?
Most people on vacation most likely have kids in tow, house mortgage, 2 car payments, trying to save for college, vacation, retirement, then the empty nesters. This was the Pottery's bread and butter. It had a "long grey line" consumer base. There was a reason people traveled from New Jersey, Florida, points in between, not so anymore. There was a reason when you told people that you were from the peninsula, you know near Williamsburg, Bush Gardens, and the first thing out of thier mouth was "Oh The Williamsburg Pottery". People like the quirkiness of the place, the feel. it is no longer a destination,
There is no charm to this place, no bargains, no inventory, just cheesy chiness crap, most of the kitchenware can be found anywhere and more of it and for less, gee even Big Lots is better. There is no warehouse stacks of goods, what isn't gaudy Chinese, is over priced boutiquely wrapped stuff, brand named stuff found elsewhere. This place is now, well it is worst, then every fake facade place that lines Richmond Road and Route 199. It now feels like a Tourist Trap, one where once is enough.
There seems to be these beltway consultants, so call modern architects that just crank, phone this stuff in, you know it is "new to you", neatly ignoring they have been pumping this out for years anywhere and everywhere.
It would have been much better to rebuild back with buildings supporting their wears, a pottery store, with their oveflow goods stack proudly around the outside. Greenhouse flanking its retail store. A feeling of a working place that the old Pottery had. If they still make pottery where are the workers, the work shops? These people need to be in the mix and seen. At one time there was a glass kiln as I recall with abhuge bin of broken good size color craft glass you could buy dirty cheap. Rebuild the old family Round building. A couple of quonset huts? Clearly this was not chic enough, and chic sells, well not here.
JCPenny almost went bankrupt trying to morph into what the Pottery has become, they wanted chic, wanted slim fit suits, size 6 and under dresses. New managment loathed their old customers base, loathe the business. They were going to create a destination, you were going to hang out for hours at a JCP. Sound familiar?. They lost a billion in 17 months, stock fell from around $64 a share down well under $10. There is still doubt they will survive as they try to return to their roots and rip out all the change.
The deal is this, if you come into a business without paying the dues and you hate everything about it, including your customers, sell it, don't make excuses for change. Gee, Ollie's Bargain Outlet is packed, they use wood pallets, cheap constructed plywood tables like the old Pottery, stack stuff everywhere via of forklift. There was nothing wrong with the old Pottery business model, or look, Ollie's is using it in old store fronts. Ollie's competes solidly around the upscale fake Hampton Peninsula Town Center which is failing, it faulted on its loan, the bank took over.
I take it like JCP no study was done, or if it was, only from the noise chic group who is most likely to voice their loathing, or what you wanted to hear, next time make sure you get a good data sample across the silence shopping majority. Well, if there is a next time.
So where once you felt like you were driving out in the country, an adventure, a cheap get away, even going back in time, back to bazaar shopping in some foreign habor port's warehouse, no modern interruptions of wifi, TV blaring, no AC, no modern check out counters, no modern part of the world intruding on your day, you are now insulted via of fake brick, fake facades, the chic lighting, against the epoxied floors, so chic, so phony. Try World Market, look at their kitchen area, wall and floor packed, with good prices, good wine and ale selecting. Trade Joes for the rest. These 2 places do what the New Pottery is trying to be but is failing.
Best thing for this place?
Shut--Her down.... Convert the 3 buildings to an Oliver Garden, Starbucks and Pottery Barn, none of these I have use for, but they will pack the people in.
I am amazed someone could destroy a man's life time work so quickly.
May the real Pottery,like the man that built it RIP. So sad it is gon read more