New River Pottery to close after nearly 40 Years in Wilmington

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) –New River Pottery, a beloved Wilmington store, will be closing its doors at the end of February. However, it’s not because the store has to.

Located on Market Street, New River Pottery has been a staple in Wilmington for nearly four decades, opening in 1991. Co-owners Rick and Gretchen designed the store to have the feeling of an “old country store.”

Store manager Will Perry credits much of the store’s success to Gretchen, who died a few years ago.

“She could go through and just turn a pile of random scraps into anything. She was most of the inspiration behind everything, and she’s honestly the reason we’ve kept going this entire time—trying to get better and better.”

New River Pottery’s “old country” atmosphere has made it a place where customers feel right at home.

“We have a lot of them that come in that we know by name. They invite us to Christmas parties, and some come every week or two. Even the ones who just come at Christmas time, we see them every week from the time we set up until Christmas. It’s just a bittersweet feeling, and we really appreciate our customers.”

Despite this strong customer loyalty, an opportunity arose that Rick couldn’t pass up.

“He’s just at that age where he needs to relax and enjoy life, spend time with his grandkids. He got an offer to buy the property, and everything just fell into place. Everybody here is super happy for him, and we’re excited he’s going to enjoy that time.”

The store will close at the end of February, but in the meantime, they will be selling off their remaining products and fixtures.

New River Pottery also has a location in Greenville, North Carolina, which will remain open. Rick plans to stay involved with that location, but his work hours will significantly decrease due to the distance.