Meet Karen Willes of Country Ceramics in East of Phoenix

Today we’d like to introduce you to Karen Willes.

Karen, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
My business began with kids. 4-H and Girl Scouts in the neighborhood. Soon adults wanted to paint ceramics, too. We converted a 24 x74 mobile into a store and kept on growing. Soon we built a 4000 square foot store as we grew out of the mobile. The key to our growth is that we owned the property and everything was paid for. Nothing went in the store unless there was money to pay for it. We built the new store over several years and it was a pay as we go. The day we walked into it finished, it was paid. In my retirement the business can be enjoyed with no financial worries. My husband Alvin and I have worked together to build this business. He constantly supports me in all that I do. Today, the retired adults come to classes and learn painting techniques as well as it being a social hour. My class times are somewhat structured.

This is not a business to choose to make a lot of money. The rewards are much greater as customers complete their work and have created a beautiful piece. My job is to create new projects for the customers as well as keeping my interest.

Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Because we built from the ground up, and pay as you go, it was smooth. I have found that if you have a ceramic shop, they will find you and they will travel. We were literally 15 miles from civilization, out in the country. The hardest part was finding space to store the molds I was buying to make the ceramic pieces. Having a large inventory from which customers purchase was a key to success.

Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about Country Ceramics – what should we know?
My inventory available to customers is my strength. As we grew, I traveled to places to take seminars to learn new techniques. My knowledge of painting techniques is my strength. Variety is the spice of life.

What role has luck (good luck or bad luck) played in your life and business?
Just being in the right place at the right time has played a role. I was able to convert my hobby of ceramics into a business for my retirement from teaching school. The schools were shuffling out the teachers with longevity and replacing them with first year teachers. 16 of us left that year. It was my luck that I can keep on teaching which I love to do. The day I retired is when we first opened the new store in 1995.

Contact Info:

• Address: 40801 N Coyote Road
  Queen Creek, AZ 85140
• Website: www.countryceramics.net
• Phone: 480-987-3935

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