A blossoming business in Lebanon County offers its patrons one-of-a-kind arrangements when many are searching for the perfect gift for their one-of-a-kind sweetheart.
Jacquelyn King, founder of Mad Potter Studio, took time to speak with LebTown about the business during its busy Valentine’s Day season. Right now, King is the sole employee, but she plans to hire a shopkeeper to help out about once a month.
King’s passion for plants and flowers inspired her to enter the floral industry. As for what inspires her to continue working in the industry, she said, “Plants are known to boost our mood. Like, studies have shown that they reduce cortisol, the stress hormone. So, I just really believe in what they can do for us. I’m passionate about bringing flowers [and] houseplants to people at a reasonable price, so everybody can enjoy them and enjoy their beauty.”
King feels she is a sort of combination of her grandparents, H.C. and Lena Mae Brillhart, who had a “big impact” on her as a farmer/rancher and an artist, respectively.
The 26-year-old identified a gap in the market for fresh-cut flowers and rare houseplants in Lebanon County. “It’s always been my dream to have my own shop,” she said. “And I just decided to go for it one day. And here I am.”
King said her family and her boyfriend, Shane Hollinger, were a big help getting the business up and running, which required many late nights spent working, painting, and ripping out carpet tiles.
When asked what inspired the business’s name, King said, “It’s a play off the Mad Hatter. I just always felt like I was just this crazy person potting plants up all the time. So that, the name, the Mad Potter, just like really made sense.”
Mad Potter Studio opened its doors at 978 Isabel Drive, Lebanon, on Saturday, Nov. 16. Since then, the community response has been “great,” with the business seeing “a lot of return customers.”
King is focused on continuing to grow the business. “The biggest obstacle has just been getting the word out,” she said. “With social media and stuff these days, marketing is just so different.” She anticipates the business’s biggest success will be this Valentine’s Day season.
Mad Potter Studio is open Wednesday to Saturday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., with Valentine’s Day hours extended to 7 p.m. The business rents the space, which features an ADA-accessible ramp at its entrance and a large, on-site parking lot with ADA-accessible parking spaces.
For Valentine’s Day, Mad Potter Studio is offering a dozen roses for $59.95, along with one-of-a-kind arrangements. “And then, we also have houseplants if you’re looking for a gift that will grow with you,” King said.
During the week of Valentine’s Day, Mad Potter Studio will also have some arrangements for sale at Revive Cafe and Craft, 65 W. Main St., Quentin.
On a regular basis, Mad Potter Studio partners with AAA, which is also located in Quentin Circle, to offer AAA members 10 percent off their purchase when they show their AAA card. This promotion is also valid during the week of Valentine’s Day.
King’s day in the life as a florist starts out with the grand arrival of the flowers. She processes the flowers to make them last by taking some petals and leaves off, trimming, and conditioning, and then places them in the cooler. She waters the houseplants. King spends the rest of the day creating arrangements and tending to customers.
“Everything is artistically made and one-of-a-kind,” King said. “I never make the same thing twice. That’s something that I pride myself on.”
The Mad Potter Studio’s arrangements feature fresh, seasonal, and sometimes local flowers.
Although it is difficult to tell with the business only being open a few months, King said, “Our homegrown plants are our best-seller in the store. And then, people also comment on our extensive pottery selection.”
King added the business is able to offer the homegrown plants at a lower price point because it grows the plants. Mad Potter Studio’s product selection is constantly changing, but the business always tries to have easy-to-care-for plants and rare varieties for sale.
Mad Potter Studio sells pottery handmade by artisans rather than mass-produced by large corporations. “I try to find smaller, handcrafted items, and soon, I’m going to have some local pottery from some local artists in as well,” King said. The business also carries items from some local businesses, including incense from Pine Grove.
King’s personal favorite product that Mad Potter Studio carries is the We the Wild Grow Concentrate. “It’s a fertilizer for houseplants that just makes them pop off,” she said, with customers telling her that they’ve used it on their houseplants, had success, and were back for more.
Mad Potter Studio also has service offerings for the community. “We also offer seasonal container gardening services. So, if you have pots out front of your home or your business, we will come and fill them for each season,” King said. “And then, we also do houseplant installation and maintenance.”
The houseplant installation and maintenance involves a consultation with Mad Potter Studio, the installation of the houseplants, and then a maintenance subscription so the business takes care of the plants and the recipient can simply enjoy them.
For more information on Mad Potter Studio, contact the business via Facebook or Instagram or email madpotterstudiollc@gmail.com.
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