Each year when spring arrives, I am so excited for the busy of the highway store as the weather is nice and people want to stop more readily. The highway store is open every day of the year, but just like the weather seasons the store goes through seasons as well. This time of the year the store gets cleaned up after the slower winter season. The stock goes out to the store more often and traffic stops increase.
The highway store was built in 2013, so that I could have a place to sell my pottery that I was making in my pottery studio in the basement of our heritage house. I hoped that I could operate it using the honour system because to have set hours and staff to operate it didn't seem feasible just on the side of the highway in a farm yard. The honour system works great and is the main experience when you stop at the store. I have a space for you to leave your payment and also ask that you leave a note as a way to connect to me and other guests that stop in.
This season I have changed the store layout again. Stream lined the space with a counter and have created an interactive space inside the door to the store. I have hung a large map of Saskatchewan, and smaller maps of Canada and the world and now am asking you to not just leave a note around the door bulletin board but to "pin" where you are from so we can see if we can get people from every town in Saskatchewan, every province of Canada and someone from every continent would be mind blowing! In this big beautiful world, I wan t to connect people through creativity. The highway store is just one way I get to attempt to do that.
When you stop at my pottery store, you may find you next favourite mug or red wine cup, but I want it to be more than just a "buy something" experience. I want you to feel the trust I have in humanity. I want you to feel connected to the other people that have stopped with the notes and now the map pinning. I want you to be looking for the store on your next trip by on Highway 16. I want you to tell your friends and have them let you know when they have found my little gem.
I look forward to reading your note, learning of your location by looking at the pins on the map and imaging you enjoying using your pottery purchase. I will report that the other part of my business; Elemental Claycation has been going so incredibly well and there are only two weekend dates left for 2024 to book. The dates for 2025 for the first part of the year are open for booking as well.
Happy Spring and warmer weather!
Marea Olafson
Freba Pottery