One of my great joys finding a new place to sell my sea glass jewelry and hair accessories. Recently, I set up “shop” on Bear Skin Neck in Rockport at Alexander’s Pottery.
Lisa Gove, the owner has a fun story to tell about the history of the shop and her five year journey into retail.
Tell us about how you got into this business & why (your passion)? Also, a little about the history of the shop?
The shop has been around since early 1960’s. Originally it was an outlet for Bennington Pottery owned and operated by the Alexander family. I am the third owner and took it over from the Meringers.
I had no background in retail, but I was a new transplant to Cape Ann, and my children were in college. I was looking for a way to find roots in the community. Since I love shopping and am lovingly called a “shopaholic” by my closest friends, I thought I would try my hand at retail Initially, I purchased the House of Glass and Happy Whale – which came as a package. When it came time for the Meringers to completely retire, they approached me to buy Alexander’s. It was unexpected and exciting.
What did you do to enter into a totally new field like retail?
The first thing I did was get in touch with Center for Women in Enterprise and attended all their seminars related to owning a retail business – retail merchandise, small biz accounting, employment, etc. It was a total immersion. I am a member of the Small Business Association and through the SBA I was able to do a SCORE mentorship. This was a very positive experience and I had mentors that were mostly locals of Cape Ann – in business or retired from certain sectors – banking, insurance, legal, etc… The SCORE meetings were all held in Rockport. From that experience, I recall people like Leo Bergeron from the Cape Ann Savings Bank being particularly helpful. My predecessors Jane and Dick Meringer were/are wonderful mentors as were local shop owners, Rusty and Ingrid who I connected with through SCORE.
What makes this shop special and how have you chosen the items in your shop? What do people LOVE to buy there?
Alexanders is the only true pottery shop in Rockport. When I took over the business, the first thing I did was edit the collections and in particular the gifts and accessories to bring Alexanders back to the way it started – with a more pottery centric focus.
The way I choose the products lends to their natural appeal as handmade pieces. We have a wide assortment of potters, from very local (Cynthia Curtis from Pigeon Cove), to Bozeman, Montana. I try to bring in potters that have specialized techniques whether it be the glaze, clay body, or form. Our customers are seeking handmade, unique pieces and they appreciate the love and experience that goes into them.
Beyond the pottery, I work with other artisans that make jewelry, home décor, and holiday ornaments. I try to include items that I believe the Alexander’s customer would like to buy for themselves and others.
What is the “vibe” of your shop gallery? Typical customer?
My customers are people that really like to take time to look. They are not fast shoppers! They want to take it all in, they like to touch
the pieces and hear about the artists.
The shop layout is intentional; you can see and understand what we sell immediately. It’s set up so that the customer can savor the pieces and have an immersive, hands-on experience. It’s not a gallery with pieces behind glass. Overall, it’s calm and elevated.
What is your favorite event/special night that everyone should know about in your area?
My personal favorite is Rockport Illuminations night which falls on August 8th this summer. It’s a totally unexpected and magical evening. All the shops put out lanterns and the town has an amazing fireworks display. It’s so much fun and relatively unknown compared to all the other summer events – but it’s truly one of the best.
What would you love to see change in the world of shopping?
I would like to see a resurgence of “Main Street.” We’re losing the mentality to “go downtown.” Too many small shops have closed, and big box stores have taken over. I enjoy the search for the “perfect” gift, I enjoy the familiarity of the “local” shop, and I don’t believe I’m the only one
