East Fork pottery suffered a small setback when its Asheville, N.C. headquarters was flooded by Hurricane Helene last October, but it quickly got back on its feet — with tremendous support from the local community — and has been in growth mode ever since. Sales are up 35% over last year, said company founder and CEO Alex Matisse, and the company is excited for fourth quarter holiday sales and the launch of new products, including the limited-edition Guava colorway and its new Matisse line of decaled ceramics. Last fall, East Fork opened its third retail store, in Brooklyn, N.Y., and plans to open another by the end of 2026. Its location is still to be determined, but Matisse said he is looking at smaller markets like its Asheville location (its third store is in Atlanta) and is testing the waters with pop-up shops. In addition to its signature pottery, the stores feature items for kitchen, dining and adjacent rooms; the company’s fastest growing category outside pottery is glassware. Matisse said he’s still getting a feel for the retail side of business. “Our Asheville store is amazing from a volume perspective, and we’ve learned lessons in Atlanta. The Brooklyn store is very small, not big or showy. I don’t think we’ve cracked it yet.” In terms of advice for other prospective retailers, he said, “I’m still learning.” — Allison Zisko
