Today we’d like to introduce you to Angie White.
Hi Angie, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
My husband Kyle and I met in high school and in college Kyle fell in love with pottery so we decided we would try and make it work selling our pieces. We got married in 2008 and moved to Texas from Kansas. I then started working for my uncle and aunt in their pottery gallery and studio that they opened in 1982 while Kyle finished his BFA in ceramics. In 2015 Kyle and I took it over the business and we continue to run a handmade pottery shop in a historic district of New Braunfels Texas called Gruene.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
For the most part is was a very smooth transition. I (Angie) had been working for my family doing sales and production for 7 1/2 years before we took over the business for them. Even though I had a pretty good understanding of how it had been operating for the past 33 years and I was able to keep up with the day to day pretty well, the challenge of taking on everything on my our own was overwhelming in the beginning. After a year or so we were able to work through the kinks and learn to ride the highs and lows that are in retail. The other challenges have been not unlike many others. Covid is always top of mind but thankfully we had really great regular customers that still supported us even when our doors were closed. We also started a family since we took over and trying to navigate the days with 2 kids proved to be challenging but also rewarding as they see what hard work really looks like.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
We are potters that focus mainly on functional/utilitarian work for the kitchen, bathroom and other areas in and around the home. We have two main lines of work, one is a more simple “production” line that customers can mix and match as they return shopping with us and the other is a more decorative style with carvings and more color which makes each piece more unique to themselves. We are most proud that we have been able to continue running a family art gallery and studio. Its not a common to see a gallery that is designated to 90% pottery and 100% handmade item The rest of the work that isn’t pottery is handmade art from artists in and around the area. We love that we can have a gallery strictly helping local artists.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://thebarningruene.com
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/thebarnpottery/
- Facebook: https://facebook.com/thebarningruene
