Earthworks Pottery at 500 South Elm Street, formerly Elm Street Pottery, is owned by local potters: Molly Lithgo and Jim Rientjes. Molly and Jim make colorful pottery for everyday use, using very different techniques. If you collect pottery, likely you have seen the duo at the Yanceyville Farmer's Market. Possibly you stopped into their South Cedar Street Shop. In the store, Molly and Jim represent several North Carolina potters, artists, and crafters and are a big part of Greensboro's monthly, first Friday events. Earthworks Pottery is yet another example of people collaborating to support a brick and mortar business. With many people vested in a business, friends have a way of telling friends who tell friends, helping businesses stay solvent. Earthworks opened in one of downtown's 2-story brick buildings in April, 2012. Let's hope it is around for a very long time. The building has been around since 1895 and Earthworks is putting a good dent in the provenance.
This Christmas season, please consider balancing your online and big box store shopping with shopping in locally owned businesses. Nothing helps you feel more like part of a community than having people know your name and what you like to purchase. Somehow when a person recommends something to you because they know you, it is just a bit less invasive than when an internet popup add suggests an item!
There's also a big push here to support local businesses. The city fathers decided to suspend parking meters in shopping districts to encourage local shopping. Funny how this logic applies to December shopping only. Hmmm.
Posted by: Oakland Daily Photo | Sunday, December 23, 2012 at 02:05 AM