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

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.

The second thing that hit me was that Harpole’s Heartland Lodge had an authenticity similar to one of our most successful Inns located in Gatlinburg, TN – Buckhorn Inn.

Besides the fact that one is a hunting lodge, and one is not, both properties are bed & breakfasts and I figured that Wanda, the owner of Harpole’s, might benefit from knowing a bit about Buckhorn. That’s when I picked up the phone and called Lee, the owner of Buckhorn.

“We love our mugs, – More importantly, our guests love our mugs,” was one of the very first things that Lee said. Since 2005 we have been making Footed Mugs in Hunter Green, at a rate of about 200-400 a year. Pictured below is one of the mugs as it is coming through production – The artwork for Buckhorn prominently features a majestic looking multi-point buck, one that any hunter would sure be proud to bring home.

The difficulty of bagging a big buck was kinda like the decision that Lee faced when trying to find the right mug for her property.  “[We] couldn’t find anything that looked as good as your mugs [with the] feeling that they’ll hold up,” Lee said.

“We thought the mugs were too expensive – You’ve got to be kidding, we’ll have to sell them for at least 16, and we thought that they wouldn’t sell.” But that all changed once that first order arrived…

“We’ve just been delighted and the sales have been fantastic – Sure some guests won’t buy them but we are probably selling 375 per year – That is a lot of money for no extra effort.” The secret is that you just serve coffee in the mugs, “you don’t have to build a room, people just have them at breakfast.”

Since we’ve been perfecting the craft of handmaking mugs for over 30 years, ensuring their durability is paramount. “[Deneen Pottery is] known in the industry – I have seen your mugs in some really nice places,” Lee mentioned.

Having a mug with your name on it can be a great marketing tool, but if that decal wears off, or the mug is easily broken, it will end up in the trash. Our mugs are made to be used, handle abuse and still look good! “We love them, and use them for serving morning coffee, we’ve only broken one as the mugs are sturdy, and most importantly they have a great look” Lee said.

Lee also said that she “likes dealing with a small company – We know you and you know us!” It’s been wonderful to have the opportunity to work with Lee over the years and we look forward to continuing that relationship in the years to come.

At the end of our conversation I suggest that Lee try a new glaze color on her next order… Be it known that there will be 20 Footed Mugs in a new color – Our Marble Hunter w/Blue White Top going to the Buckhorn Inn. If past performances are any indicator of future results, then we had better get another order of Marble glazed mug into production! I have a feeling the new color will be very popular this summer!

In closing I’ve pictured the home page of Harpole’s Heartland Lodge – As you can see the prominence of that buck is what sparked this blog. Hopefully the similarities that I see will be noticed by others… It’s never fun to extend trust and open yourself up to a new relationship, especially a business relationship in these economic times… Hopefully this blog will help ‘others’ know that with Deneen Pottery is worthy of that trust!

Thanks for reading our Pottery Blog!

Niles Deneen

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!

Enough of the blog blabbing here – Time to get to the Questions and Answers.

Q.) Where did you first hear about Deneen Pottery? Deneen Pottery mugs have been around the B&B industry for years.  I do not really recall when or where I first heard about them…most likely from an innkeeper when Bruce and I were visiting an inn who featured the mug.  We love upscale B&Bs — upscale B&Bs are where travelers find the mugs.  So, we have encountered them often in our travels (CO to VA, TX to NH)…long before we decided to be innkeepers…long before we decided to feature Deneen Pottery at Bloomsbury.

Q. Do you use the mugs to serve coffee and/or tea? Yes, we use them for both coffee and tea…primarily for coffee.  We use them in our Bloomsbury gourmet breakfast service and whenever a guest requests a hot drink when not a breakfast.

Q.) What is your favorite thing about your mugs? This is not a fair question…there is no one favorite thing:  Favorite things:  great size with great handle size, beautiful glaze options and wonderful branding of Bloomsbury, keeps hot drinks hot, dishwasher friendly, and our guests love them!

Q.) Can you think of a story or comment  to share about your mugs? My Favorite Mug As a young female lieutenant assigned to an all male Air Force Field Maintenance Unit, I chose a gracefully unique coffee cup from which to consume some of the worst coffee ever brewed (or should I say rebrewed).  Through 25 years of serving our great Nation, I followed my tradition of using a “pretty” cup.  When we opened Bloomsbury Inn in 2005, I continued to use a cup unique to all the others in the house.  Yes, cup as in cup and saucer — never a mug.   With the arrival of Deneen Pottery mugs at Bloomsbury, I decided I should try them.  Well as I write, my Royal Crown Darby cup and saucer are well-displayed in the kitchen, and my coffee sits before me in a Deneen Pottery mug. (PS…no Niles, I did not make this up as a good “story” for the interview…it is oh so true!)

Just as Katherine has served our country for the Air Force , our mugs are now serving her and the guests of Bloomsbury! I do feel sorry for the Royal Crown Darby cup and saucer, much the same as I feel for Winnie the Pooh, but new relationship has emerged and that brings me joy… Much the same way that Katherine now enjoys coffee from her handmade, hand-thrown, made in the USA  – Custom stoneware mug. While what we do may not be on the cutting edge of technology, or will save the world, we do bring a moment of peace and joy when you stop to savor your first sip of the day.

Thank you Katherine – We wish you the best of luck, this season!

Thanks for reading our blog!

Niles Deneen – VP Marketing

Realizing that none of this valuable information is posted on our website I figured that I could post it here so that it won’t languish in it’s small archived 2002 file. Unbelievably, most of the questions and answers are still the same.

Q: Are these mugs dishwasher safe?

A: Depends on who is washing your dishes… Just kidding, every piece of stoneware we make will be fine in the strongest industrial dishwasher. Just don’t drop it when you are putting them away.

Q: Will the colors fade over time?

A: None of the glaze colors will fade, even if they sit in direct sunlight for years! We have seen mugs that we made from 1984 that look like we just took them out of the kiln.

Q: If I store this pottery in the freezer will it break or crack because of the cold?

A: Our tankards along with our wine and champagne coolers are supposed to be stored in the freezer. Just be cautions of extreme changes in temperature, like from the freezer to the oven or vice versa as this expansion and shrinking are ideal for causing ceramics and even glass to crack.

Q: How do the mugs do in the oven, or micro-wave?

A: Great! Our kilns fire pottery up to 2200ºF so 350-400ºF would be fine. With heating things up in the micro-wave, especially beverages, just be sure that the stoneware mug is at least half full. This will allow even heat distribution through the piece and ensure that no cracking or breaking will occur.

Q: What is a good price to charge for one of the mugs if you are going to sell them?

A: Our Suggested Retail Price is $16.00, but it is just that a suggestion. Really it depends on what you want to get out of the mug. Some of our inns charge as much as $20.00 to make a profit, and others charge $12.00 just to make sure that their guests take one home as they cover their costs.

Q: How do these mugs work for advertising?

A: We think that the mugs are great for that subtle little reminder that actually gets used.  Every time a beverage is enjoyed in one of these cups thoughts go back to the time spent at your inn. Next thing you know they want to come back for another stay.

I also found an accompanying advertising postcard, or handout, in that same file from 2002… Those same hands, that you see in the picture, are still here making pottery on a wheel! What I also find difficult to believe, is that we once used purple and grey as our branding colors?!? But then again that was before I was ’seriously’ working for our family’s business.

If you have any other questions about our custom stoneware mugs, our our company just jot it down below and I’ll be sure to answer you back.

Thanks for reading our pottery blog!

Niles Deneen

We’ve been proudly making mugs for PAII and their Innkeeping Show since 1992, when JoAnn Bell first sent out a form letter seeking a ‘handmade mug supplier’ to provide an item to commemorate PAII’s second biennial event. There is much more to this story that I will be reporting on in the weeks to come.

We have been honored to produce a collectable mug for each conference since 1992 and are ready to unveil the tentative mock up for this years show in Austin, Texas. Working with Pat Hardy and JoAnn Bell was a joy for my father, Peter Deneen, and I an just as pleased to be working with the President and CEO of PAII today, Jay Karen.

If you are an innkeeper and are curious about PAII, and the Innkeeping Show click here: www.innkeepingshow.com

Now for a brief introduction – This new mug style, which is being designed just for PAII, is going to be called the Small Abby. Still in the design phase the Small Abby will hold approximetly 10 oz. and will be about 4 inches tall. The color that we will be using for this inaugural run will be solid chocolate, a perfect western color. The image here pictures the mug in one of our other 33 solid glazes – Fieldstone.

Thank you for reading our blog – Stay warm and savor a warm mug in your hands when you can.

Hope to see you at the PAII conference!

Niles Deneen, VP-Marketing

Dear Niles:
Approximately 12 years ago, my wife and I were in Ithaca, NY and had the pleasure of spending a night at the Rose Inn.  In a matter of days, the two mugs we purchased became my favorite [handmade coffee mugs] of all time.  Unfortunately, one of them was broken beyond recognition.  I know that’s hard to believe since they are so sturdy.  Later, the handle was broken on the other one.  When I tried to contact the Rose Inn for replacements, I learned that a terrible fire had virtually destroyed that historic inn.  A couple of years later, we found out that the inn had been rebuilt and reopened by new owners.  I contacted them, but to my disappointment they did not preserve the “mug tradition.”  A couple of weeks ago, I was with a friend who was sipping coffee from a [handmade mug] with the identical shape but a different color.  She gave me the contact information for the Taylor House Inn in Valle Crucis, NC.  Their website included an on-line catalog where I saw the same shaped mug in red.  I was ecstatic and immediately placed an order for two of them.  To my chagrin, they sent me an e-mail stating that their stock was depleted, and that they did not know when to expect more.  The innkeepers (Tessa and Bernard Russo) were very kind to provide contact information for your company.

After navigating your website, I now realize that my favorite mugs from the Rose Inn were made by [Deneen Pottery] and were of the “round belly” style.  In fact, when I clicked on “glaze and colors,” and then clicked on “greens,” I see the forest green round belly mug WITH THE ROSE INN ART.

I know you are a distributor and don’t normally assist with small quantities.  But, I thought I would inquire anyway.  Do you know how I might obtain a small quantity ( from 2 to 8 ) round belly mugs?  Are you aware of an inn that has a well stocked gift shop?  Is there anyway I can order a small number directly from Deneen?

You don’t know how hard I have been trying to replace the broken mugs.  Thanks in advance for your assistance.
Vince Smith

Dear Vince,
Thank you for taking the time to write to us. I remembering hearing about that fire at the Rose Inn years ago, what a terrible loss that was.
Your tenacity at hunting down the round belly mug is commendable!

I think you like reading this… We do sell mugs directly to customers – and we can make them for you without medallions! The retail cost is $15.00 per mug plus ($10 for shipping up to 4 mugs) or ($15 when shipping 8 mugs). For 4 mugs you can have one color choice, but for 8 you can have two (4 per color choice).

Just let me know the total number and color and we’ll get your favorite HANDmade mugs back into your HANDS ASAP!
Niles Deneen – VP, Marketing

Deneen Pottery – 2325 Endicott Street – St. Paul, Minnesota – 55114
Toll Free: 888-646-0238 – Fax: 651-646-8605 – Local: 651-646-0238
www.deneenpottery.com

Dear Niles:
This is great news.  I’m sure we will be ordering some mugs, but I need to get my wife’s input before selecting the color.  Feel free to use my story on your blog.  Maybe it will help someone else who’s had a similar mug misfortune.

There is one part of my mug replacement saga that I left out in an effort to make a long story just a bit shorter.  In 2007 we were with friends in Scotland.  We ran across a potter who had mugs that reminded me of the round belly’s shape.  (See attached mug shot.)  I bought two of them even though they were overpriced.  Back in the States, we realized that both of them leaked to the point of being unusable.  In hind site, the fact that they leaked is probably a good thing.  Otherwise, I might have abandoned my search for the “real thing.”

You will be hearing from me soon about the quantity and color.
Vince Smith

Similar Styles... But not the same!