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Our Favorite Duluth Inns!!!

Wednesday, September 1st, 2010

It has come to light that it appeared as if we were playing favorites with our innkeepers of Duluth. The earlier story that I posted was not complete in it’s informative nature…

As it turns out the nice couple that called was, in fact, looking for a very particular color for the mug that they were seeking – Burgundy. The only inn in Duluth that has burgundy mugs in stock was the Firelight Inn on Oregon Creek. That being said, Julie our now infamous GM, looked at the order history of each of our Duluth Inns before finding the location of a burgundy mug.

In alphabetical order… Our favorite Inns of Duluth:

A. G. Thomson House

Cotton Mansion

Ellery House Bed & Breakfast

Firelight Inn on Oregon Creek

Mathew S. Burrows 1890 Inn

Olcott House

Solglimt Jewel on the Water

Let it be known that each property and each innkeeper(s) are equally our favorites and we hope to stay with each one!!! Most importantly, we hope that everyone that reads this blog will take time to stay at each property and will purchase a mug to remember that stay… These amazing Inns are just like our handmade mugs – No 2 are exactly alike!

Thank you for reading our blog!

Niles Deneen

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Finding a Handmade Deneen Mug

Monday, August 30th, 2010

Occasionally we hear from people that are just looking to buy a singe mug or two… They might have come across our stoneware mugs at a coffee shop, or a B&B, or a gift shop and they didn’t see the color they liked, maybe, but they did jot down our name or our website. Then later on when they are really missing the feel of that mug, and they’ve come home from vacation and only have our contact info they’ll call us.

Well, this happened last Friday as a couple was at the Split Rock Lighthouse and they didn’t see exactly what they wanted on the shelf. It should be noted that Split Rock is celebrating it’s 100th Anniversary this year, so with the increase in interest they’ve sold out of some pieces. So the couple called us to find out where they could find another mug. Julie, our amazingly talented GM, referred them to the B&B that she recently stayed at, the Firelight Inn, located in Duluth, MN – the innkeepers Jim and Joy Fisher are the best!!!

Like most calls that we get about finding a mug we never hear anything and just hope that our assistance was appreciated… This time, we did hear and it was posted on the facebook page of the Firelight Inn!!!

So the phone rings this afternoon and a couple tells us they saw some stoneware at Split Rock Lighthouse but its not quite what they want. They see its made by Deneen Pottery and they give them a call and, off course, Deneen Pottery sends them to The Firelight Inn. They just left with two Firelight mugs which they considered “perfect”! Sweetness!

Once  you have an appreciation for handmade mugs by Deneen Pottery, nothing else will do! Even thought the couple didn’t stay with Jim and Joy Fisher, they loved their mugs enough to buy a pair. That certainly is much better than getting a parking ticket!!!

For more information on how you can place your first order, or find your next mug, just give us a call 888-646-0238!

Thanks for reading our blog.

Niles Deneen

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196th Infantry Bridage – military mugs- Completed

Thursday, August 26th, 2010

We’ve finally had a few consecutive days not in the 90s – Yep, September is coming and so is Autumn. A few blogs ago I was writing about the different orders that we have done for military units and I showcased a completed design for the 196th Infantry Brigade. The design incorporated both the units path and insignia along with their name and slogan.

Shortly after that post the commander of the unit and I, while working within a budget, came up with an order that allowed us to produce both a small run of Nordic Tankards, and Rancher mug. I was able to save one of the 196th Military Tankards and have photographed it so that you can see it here.

Military Mug by Deneen Pottery – Glaze: Navy Sand White

(more…)

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Handmade Mugs Exceeding Expectations

Thursday, July 15th, 2010

Estes Park, CO – Owned and operated Lois H. Smith – Stoneware by Deneen Pottery

We are now in our second year of working with the Baldpate Inn and we are just into the heart of the busy season. Thing are going well… Really well actually:

“HELP!  The mugs are flying off the shelves!  We can barely use them in the restaurant we have sold so many!!!   Can we get another order ASAP?  I think you have already sent all I had on my January Pack & Ship order.”

“I guess I should have realized these would sell so great, but just didn’t anticipate the demand” wrote Lois in a second email after her next order of 350 handmade custom mugs was approved.

Handmade Stoneware by Deneen Pottery – In service at Baldpate

(more…)

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Another Handmade – Custom Military Coffee Mug

Tuesday, July 6th, 2010

If finding the highest quality, American made mugs for your military unit is your goal – You’ve found the place to order. Our family business has been making mugs (in Minnesota) by hand since 1972, and custom is the only way that we work.

This is the second blog that I’ve done showcasing some of the work that we have done for military units – The mugs that were shown on the previous blog were all done specifically for our customers and the designs were perfected through an approval process. To see those images and that blog click here.

After I posted that earlier blog I did some additional searching and came across one more military mug design – Detachment 14 Silent Warriors. This was one of about 3 orders that we crafted for a special client. The artwork, as you can see, has a great amount of detail and pictures a Bald Eagle with a Native American dream catcher.

Our Glaze-Engraving™ process allows us to capture the greatest detail, and the finest lines, so that YOU will have an amazing emblem on a mug that was crafted by 24 pairs of hands. Yes, you read that correctly – Each mug is touched by 24 different hands through the production process, and that all takes right here, in Minnesota, USA!!!

Footed Mug in Midnight – Silent Warriors

This specific Custom Military Mug was created in a very limited run, only 50  were made, and they shipped out from our factory in the summer of 2009.

Our family pottery company strives to produce the highest quality, handmade stoneware for each and every customer – We look forward to answering your questions – Call us anytime!

Sincerely,

Niles Deneen, VP-Marketing

888-646-0238

For more information on our stoneware just click here, or use the navigation bar on your left.

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Military Mugs – By Deneen Pottery

Wednesday, June 30th, 2010

Only our best for our Nations best!

We love working with military units – and given the chance we will create a the finest handmade mugs in this country. For some clients, like the Patriot Shop in Tennessee, we have produced designs for each branch of service so that they can retail individual mugs through their website.

We have more fun when we are given a challenge… For Camp Lejune we combined the Eagle, Globe, and Anchor along with the famous tree from the entrance of the base for a custom design that looks like this:

Camp Lujune – Footed Mug in Gloss w/Black Fill

(more…)

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Jay Karen at a Deneen Pottery Wheel!

Friday, May 21st, 2010

It is my honor to share this news report…
Subject: Jay Karen, Deneen Pottery, Hand-Thrown Mugs

Following the Minnesota Bed and Breakfast Conference Jay Karen stopped by and toured our studio. Halfway through my dad, Peter Deneen, sat Jay at a wheel and let him give it a spin! Keep in mind Jay is not a professional potter…

The mug, that has now just come out of the kiln, is truly one of a kind. (more…)

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Buckhorn Inn – Quick Interview

Thursday, May 6th, 2010

In March we, here at Deneen Pottery, decided to do an ad campaign offering a free handmade coffee mug to those that mentioned the add when requesting a catalog on our website… I use the word ‘campaign’ loosely because it was just a single ad, but in a industry leading publication IQ or Innkeeping Quarterly. As PAII is the leading organization in this industry it only makes sense to test the waters with this type of an offer with them. We’ve always found success when working with PAII, and will continue to do so indefinitely! On a side note the president of PAII, Jay Karen, was recently here for a ‘hands on’ tour by our president, and my dad, Peter Deneen. To read up on that tour click here. Thanks for coming Jay, I look forward to seeing you again soon!

Well, the response to that ad? It was good. And last week I began to do follow up calls to those that we sent mugs to. In the course of my calls I came across a property called Harpole’s Heartland Lodge, an Illinois hunting lodge / bed and breakfast located in serene Pike County.

I am a very visual person and one that likes to find connections… This connection hit me when looking at Harpole’s Heartland Lodge was one of a big buck. As I’ve been adopted by my in-laws into the traditions of white tail hunting in northern Minnesota, anytime I see a buck my thoughts turn to the season in which we wear blaze orange and sit quietly in the woods. (more…)

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Innkeeper Q&A: Katherine Brown of Bloomsbury

Friday, April 23rd, 2010

The snow and cold is a distant memory, but the mornings are still starting out on the chilly side – Today it was 35º when dawn broke here at the pottery shop. Finding things that fit makes life more fulfilling, and definitely makes work more fun… Be it a perfect pair of sunglasses to protect your eyes as spring comes, or a perfect mug.

I’ve been waiting to find the next Innkeeper to interview and after hearing from Katherine Brown of Bloomsbury located in Camden, SC earlier this week I knew she would be perfect. In October of lat year we first talked about her property and our mugs and a few weeks later we combined a photograph of her property, and a drawing, by Randall Peterson, into this beautiful creation by Teena our Art Director.

At the start of the week I received a sorta tap-on-the-shoulder email that, more or less, hit me over the head and prompted me to see if Katherine would want to be the second official participant of  our Innkeeper Q&A.

“Good morning Niles – this is where you can share a ‘great laugh’ with everyone at Deneen Pottery!  When we ordered mugs a few short months ago, it was primarily because I like them–I wanted to try them on our breakfast table.

As it would never have occurred to me to buy a mug (with some logo) when I was traveling — I rather dismissed when you said how well they sell.   OK – I need to place an order.   Quit laughing and tell me what you need.”

I don’t mind being dismissed especially when I get to hear about it – That’s why this statement is also on our testimonials page… It helps to look back at positive statements when you are having a rough day – And I figure if I keep stacking up the positive things that have been said, more will KNOW that we ARE the best at making Custom Stoneware Coffee Mugs! (more…)

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Eighth Day Books & Mugs…

Wednesday, March 3rd, 2010

In September of last year I received a catalog request from Warren Farha, the owner of Eighth Day Books, of Wichita, KS. As I was filling out the envelope I searched google and came across their webpage and I saw this quote, “that which is true, is ours”. Little did I know that we would make an order of handmade mugs for Warren, and that that order would have a ‘true’ story of it’s own.

Original line drawing of the store and our emblem design

And that true story is told by Joshua and it goes like this:

“Just as we were unpacking your delicious shipment at the front counter (we call it the ‘front counter’ but it’s by the back door), our friend Philip (long-time customer) came in to buy Christmas gifts for his (prodigous) family.  He was immediately entranced by the mugs, and selected 8 as stocking-stuffers.”

So the very first day that EIGHTH day books had their mugs, they sold EIGHT… How Cool! (more…)

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