Williamsburg Pottery Factory
Williamsburg Pottery Factory is a large, multi-structure retail outlet store located in Lightfoot, Virginia, about 6 miles (9.7 km) west of Williamsburg. It was founded in 1938 by James E. Maloney as a small pottery workshop. The Williamsburg Pottery Factory now markets itself as one of Virginia's largest tourist attractions. Referred to by the locals as "the Pottery", the 200-acre (0.81 km2) attraction offers a selection of locally handmade articles, as well as imports from 20 countries. Williamsburg Pottery was once famous for its "bare bones" appearance; however, it underwent a multimillion-dollar redevelopment that reshaped its look in the spring of 2012.
In 1938, James E. Maloney founded Williamsburg Pottery, located near Colonial Williamsburg, making eighteenth-century salt glaze reproductions to sell at low prices. He purchased a half-acre property for $150 and built a kiln and simple workshop. As time passed, Maloney added china and glassware to his inventory, again with a focus on low prices. In addition to Maloney's famed salt glaze pottery, Williamsburg Pottery grew to include other artisans that sold a variety of handicrafts, like baskets and lamps.
As sales grew, the small structure mushroomed into many warehouse buildings. By the 1960s, Williamsburg Pottery was the largest U.S. importer of home goods from Asia. Originally located entirely on Route 60, Maloney expanded his business across the railroad tracks in the mid-70s. Williamsburg Pottery eventually added a campground and factory outlet stores, growing to over 200 acres (0.81 km2) and 32 buildings. By the early 1980s, Williamsburg Pottery was earning between $60 and $70 million a year in revenue. However, it began a decline in the 1990s with the rapid growth of other shopping venues on Route 60 closer to Williamsburg, and struggled with the death of its founder in 2005. In 2008, reports claimed that the business was up for sale, although Williamsburg Pottery President Kim Maloney denied these claims.
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