From the Ground Up: Grassroots Coffee

December 30th, 2011

This marks our final blog for 2011. It really is hard to believe just how quickly the time has flown. This time next month, Eloise will celebrate her first birthday! We’re gearing up to begin celebrating our 40th anniversary in 2012 with a brand new look and several new styles and colors. Our new anniversary catalog will begin shipping in mid-January, and you’ll be able to see all the new colors in person at the innkeeping conference in Little Rock. One thing has remained the same though even with all the aesthetic changes we’ve been up to lately and that’s our commitment to producing the very best handmade stoneware in the country.

Speaking of celebrations, last month I had the pleasure of attending the 2nd anniversary celebration for one of our clients – Grassroots Coffee in Thomasville, GA. It’s a small, charming town with a rich history, and this independent coffee shop is now a part of the town’s most vital shopping district.

It’s only a half-hour drive from my hometown, and I wanted to be there to represent the company. I had stopped in when they first opened and noticed that they had mugs with their logo on them, but they didn’t have hand-thrown stoneware mugs from Deneen Pottery. I had Niles send them a few samples, and it was done! They came on board immediately, and I’m happy to say that our handmade mugs have done well for them. They’ve done so well that Grassroots is now on their third order of custom stoneware mugs.

Grassroots’ story began in the summer of 2009. Spencer and Megan Young along with their friend Ed Millere had the idea that they could bring a coffee shop to Thomasville’s thriving, historic downtown. Architects, contractors, plumbers and electricians ensued. On November 6th, they opened their doors believing all the while that they had something special to offer. So far, it seems they were spot on. In fact, the historic downtown of Thomasville has thrived so much during the recession that they were the subject of a story on NBC Nightly News in February. Even Spencer can be seen in the video!

It was great to see such a show of support for a locally-owned coffee shop. Grassroots even roasts its own coffee in-house. They’ve done so well in the past two years that their coffee is now on the shelves of select local grocery stores. And it’s available online as well for those of you (like Niles) who want a taste of southern-roasted coffee. They have even expanded to serving a limited selection of lunch sandwiches as well. All things seem to be looking up for these nice folks down in Georgia!

And what would our blog be without showing you their fabulous handmade mugs? They first ordered the Camper mug and the Abby mug, and those seem to be their mainstays.

And they’ve moved on to selling the Footed mugs as well. Just this year, they asked us to redesign their emblem to accommodate a one-shot espresso cup. Now they have two different versions of their logo available for purchase.

And talk about southern hospitality. These guys are even nice enough to include a card with your purchase explaining how to make the perfect cup of coffee. I have to say that, while I do love coffee, I am not a connoisseur. But this is some of the best coffee I’ve ever tasted. My personal favorite is the Grassroots Blend. Just last week, I had my folks pick up another pound for me along with the limited-edition Christmas Blend. It’s an amazing coffee all its own. So, while I might be stocked up on coffee for awhile, it’s great to know that I can always order it online.

While I was there, I did make one suggestion to Spencer. It’s the same suggestion we make to all our customers. Even if your mugs are selling well enough, they will always sell more quickly if you use them. Most of our bed & breakfasts customers serve morning coffee to their guests in their Deneen Pottery mugs, but coffee shops could do the same thing for those customers who prefer to have their coffee inside. Just set aside a small number of mugs for customers to use, and once they get their hands around our hand-thrown coffee mugs, they’re almost certain to purchase one. And just think of the money you’d be saving in paper cups!

And while we’re on the subjects of stocking up and saving money, it’s the perfect time to remind you about our Pack & Hold option that you should have received information about in our final newsletter of the year that was emailed on Tuesday. It’s the perfect option for those of you who want to order a large amount of mugs, but only want a few shipped at a time. It certainly does cut down on the wait time for reorders. You can order as few as 48 mugs or as many as 192 mugs and schedule your own delivery dates throughout the year or just call us when you run low. It’s that easy, and you only pay for what we ship at one time! And for all reorders in 2012, we’ll thrown in one of our new 40th Anniversary logo mugs for free as our way of saying thank you for being such a loyal customer.

Price guarantees are good through January 31, 2012 so that even gives you a chance to wait and see what’s new at the conference. But if you’d like to avoid the post-conference order rush, feel free to email me at heath@deneenpottery.com and I’ll be more than happy to send you a few photos of what we’re debuting in Little Rock. We can always get your order started right away!

Be sure to check out Grassroots Coffee online, and give their coffee a try. Remember to buy local when you can. As always, thanks for reading our blog. And be sure to check us out on Facebook for the latest information on new products. We enjoy communicating with all of you, and we appreciate your comments in return. Every single comment gets read, we promise.

Heath Croft, Director of Communications

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An INNspired Decision

November 30th, 2011

Earlier this year, Heath Croft, our director of communications, wrote an article for Innkeeping Quarterly titled “Providing Compassion Through Escape.”  The article was about how one innkeeper, Kathy Hartley, was touching the lives of women in her area who are battling cancer.

The three-day retreat is offered to those who are undergoing treatment for any type of cancer, not just breast cancer.  Some of them even have multiple forms of the disease.  There is no cost to the women who attend because of Kathy’s tireless efforts to provide funding for the event.  Not only has she applied for and received grants, but she also approaches local businesses for their support. She has been successful at getting the retreat covered under the Ventura County Medical Group’s 501(c)(3) status which recognizes it as a nonprofit program. According to the article, a locally-owned grocery store offers food that the ladies use to prepare meals together in the kitchen.

The Lavender Inn in Ojai, Calif.

We were so moved by this article that we wanted to do something for Kathy and the ladies who will attend the next retreat.  Since making handmade stoneware mugs is what we do best, we decided to create the first-ever INNcourage commemorative mug as our way of thanking Kathy for her noble and benevolent work.

Because of the close connection that Heath established with Kathy, he was able to get logos for both the Lavender Inn and INNcourage so that we could design this special mug without her suspecting a thing.  Teena, our talented art director, was able to combine the two pieces to create the beautiful medallion. For this unique run we selected the round belly mug because of its graceful shape and it’s a perfect size for wrapping your hands around. This is our first announcement of the special project for Kathy and the INNcourage retreat!

Those who have experienced the effects of chemo help those just starting out by teaching them how to use scarves.

The entire retreat is designed around serenity.  Facials, makeovers, and yoga by candlelight are just some of the examples of the special treatment that Kathy provides. One-on-one therapy as well as group sessions led by a certified therapist are also offered. Those who attend are always encouraged to participate in the activities but are free to spend time alone.  Kathy’s goal is to make them feel as comfortable and as welcome as possible.  They are also treated to dinner at Ojai’s Feast Bistro. The owners there have supported Kathy since day one.

Makeovers and facials are provided by a skincare professional.

The most touching part of this story for us is that these ladies are hand-selected by nurses at the local oncology clinic. Those who get chosen are ones who wouldn’t normally have the chance to experience this type of retreat due to financial or familial obligations. Many of them don’t even have insurance, and some of them are single parents working two jobs. This year each guest will receive her own INNcourage mug that we created especially for the retreat.

Teena lost a dear aunt who survived two bouts with breast cancer but ultimately lost her battle with liver cancer. Heath lost both grandmothers to the disease. Kathy Hartley’s own father is a cancer survivor and wanting to give something back was what compelled her to launch this program.

We hope that our small donation will not only raise awareness for cancer itself, but will also be a call to action for others to make a difference whenever and however possible. We are so fortunate to have grown our family business within this industry where individuals like Kathy continue to inspire and INNcourage us every day.

Niles Deneen – VP, Marketing
Deneen Pottery

 

 

 

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Worst day of the year to ride and the best mugs to buy…

November 25th, 2011

For most people it doesn’t make sense to ride a bike once fall fades away and the seasons shift to winter.  But for thousands of Portland pedaling enthusiasts, it’s a tradition now in its 11th year. Called the Worst Day of the Year Ride, and billed as one of the Oregon city’s favorite wacky wintertime events, the ride takes place on February 12th.  Last year, since it was a special anniversary, the folks at Good Sport Promotion contacted us about doing a custom mug.

The footed mug, one of our most popular, seen here in black with cinnamon white.

“We wanted a well-made, handcrafted mug to honor the 10th anniversary of our fundraising bike ride,” says Ayleen Crotty.  “I spent two full days researching mug options before I settled on Deneen Pottery.” And we’re certainly glad she chose us. We are now a second-generation family business with 40 years of experience, and we love working with groups like this!  Ayleen tells us that she couldn’t be happier with her choice, and she’s just placed an even larger order for next February’s race.

The official mascot.

Last year was the first year that they created a mug, she says, for the simple reason that they wanted to offer something that people could cozy up with to enjoy a nice warm cup of coffee or hot cocoa and enjoy great memories of the ride all year long.

Our stoneware mugs keep your coffee or cocoa nice and toasty.

When Niles began helping her decide on glazes, Ayleen was hesitant at first about one of his ideas.

“Niles was extremely helpful in color choices,” she says.  “He suggested we try a color we would have never picked on our own, and it was the first to sell out.” That color was wisteria w/plum white top, which is quickly becoming a favorite among our customers.

The Worst Day of the Year Ride is a paradox in itself.  Ayleen says that in the past 10 years, the weather has never really been that bad.  February in Portland should be cold and wet, she says.  But riders have never awakened to significant rain, and she says the temperature is usually pretty nice. That’s a huge contrast to the frosty, snow-covered, and frigid land of 10,000 lakes we call home.

Check out the amazing headgear!

 

 

The Worst Day of the Year Ride raises funds for the Community Cycling Center whose slogan – Every child deserves a bike! – pretty much sums it up. Some 4,000 riders participate in the annual 18-mile trek through downtown Portland, and there’s even a huge costume contest.  Not only do the participants dress themselves in whimsical outfits, but they decorate their bikes as well. You can see from the photos that everyone has lots of fun. Isn’t it awesome when people can help others, especially kids, and have a great time doing it? We’re excited that our custom handmade mugs will again have a part in such an important event.

Proceeds benefit the Community Cycling Center.

 

Every child deserves a bike!
Happy Feet?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And Ayleen had such high praise for us that we thought we’d include it here as well. “The company is excellent to work with, completely organized, very knowledgeable, and of course, the mugs are of amazingly gorgeous quality,” she says. To receive such praise from promoters of an event like this means the world to us. Thanks so much Ayleen!

This rider gets extra points for the peacock feathers!

 

 

The costume contest is a huge part of the event each year. 

 

 

 

Over 4,000 riders are expected to take part in 2012.
Another creative costume from last year. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We hope the 2012 Worst Day of the Year Ride will again be the perfect day to buy a custom handmade stoneware mug from Deneen Pottery.

Thanks so much for reading our blog. We welcome your comments, and don’t forget to check us out on Facebook!

Heath Croft

Director of Communications

 

 

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Mug selling magic from Ephrata, PA

November 10th, 2011

Listening, watching, or just paying attention are things that I’m doing much more of these days… Now with my baby daughter really pulling herself up, and itching to walk, I seem to always be paying attention to her. I also pay close attention to my emails, especially when the first line from a Rebecca Gallagher, the innkeeper and owner of the Historic Smith Inn, reads, “I just sent this email out to the members of Authentic Bed and Breakfasts of Lancaster County (40 B&Bs)… feel free to share with other prospective clients…” How could I not pay very close attention?

We have been making handmade stoneware mugs for Rebecca Gallagher since 2009, but The Historic Smithton Inn has been a customer since 1996. Rebecca has a background in marketing, and is as sharp as the come, always full of ideas, and whenever I see her I always grab my idea’s notebook!!!

“I just learned the secret to increasing sales of your Deneen coffee mugs… buy the BOXES!!!!!”

“It may seem like a little thing, but I’m telling you, it’s MAGIC.  Here’s how it’s worked for us:

I’ve gotten in the habit of having Deneen produce coffee mugs for us in batches of 100 that they put into storage [Pack & Hold] for us.  Any time I start running low, I have them ship me 50 [handmade mugs] out of inventory, and when inventory runs low I have them make up another batch.  On June 10th, Deneen shipped me 50 mugs… that order lasted until October 3rd when they shipped me another 50.  I made a  change with my October order though, I also purchased 50 boxes to go with the mugs.  And Voila, Magic!  TODAY, a mere 24 DAYS since my last order, I called Deneen to have them send me another 50 [handmade mugs]!!!  I’d expected to see a small increase in sales, but this went far beyond what I anticipated.  Luckily I already have another 100 mugs in production because at this rate I’m going to need them quick!”

“I’m not sure why, but [the single gift box] really seems to make a difference for guests… maybe it’s that little-bit more obvious that the mugs are for sale, and it’s clear that they’re not taking a mug that’s been used by someone else during breakfast…that it’s new and ready for them to take home safely or give as a gift?  Whatever the reason, I’m a believer! Give it a try… the boxes are reasonably priced and the results speak for themselves!!!”

Thanks Rebecca!!!

The gift boxes are 75¢ each, they ship flat are easily assembled and you can order as few as 5. We can ship them out with your order and from now until X-mas if you mention reading this blog we will give you 5 for free, just to test out! That about sums it up, if you want to sell more mugs, then dressing them up in our single mug gift boxes this holiday season is an easy idea to try. Attempting to slow Eloise down will not be nearly as easy!

Thank you for reading our blog!
Niles Deneen VP, Marketing
Deneen Pottery

 

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American Made Mugs in Canada

October 10th, 2011

 

It’s not very often that we get orders from our friends in the north.  We generally ship using UPS, and due to the customs brokerage fees that apply when shipping to Canada, many prospective customers find it too expensive to order.  Even ordering the minimum number of mugs can result in a fee upwards of fifty Canadian dollars in addition to the normal shipping rates.  However, one customer recently found a way to avoid the costs, and we wanted to share that story with you just in case you’re reading this in Canada and have always wanted to offer your very own handmade stoneware mugs at your bed & breakfast, inn or restaurant.

Lynn Ferguson and Michael McClacherty, owners of the Bee & Thistle Guest House in Vancouver, used a shipping address in Washington.  Well, we were curious so that we thought we’d ask them how they did that exactly. It turns out that it’s very easy to do, and it can save customers lots of money.

“We were amazed how easy it is to have a U.S. address,” Lynn says.  “There are several mailbox places in Blaine, for example, that are right across the border from us.”  Lynn told us that the service she uses only charges them $10 annually to receive their parcels along with a minimal fee if they receive a large package.

“When they receive something for us, they immediately email us, and they are quite willing to hold it until we can get down there to pick it up,” she says.  Both Lynn & Michael first heard about us and met us earlier this year at an industry conference in Portland, Oregon.  Lynn says that she met several other bed & breakfast owners who were already loyal customers.

“One woman mentioned that she has numerous guests who collect them in different colors each year they visit,” she says.  

Read the rest of this entry »

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