Blog — poole pottery

Hi folks We recently had a lovely visitor to our shop who loved the way we displayed our handmade products amidst second hand treasures! We later found out that her name was Sue and she has her own business selling retro & vintage china and she has some really unique pieces, that you'll find hard not to purchase! We'd like to introduce you to yay retro! with a little interview with Sue.... How did yay retro! start? I have collected vintage china for years, and then fell in love with Poole Pottery and began collecting their Streamline Twintone designed in the 1930s - 50s. After training as a fine artist at The Winchester School of Art, I went on to become a professional photographer, and am now part of our family run website design company. Putting all of these skills and interests together I started yay retro! in August 2012. I feel that my art and photography background plays a huge part in yay retro!s feel good factor - I want yay retro! to be a really happy online space, where people can pop in and browse through the photos of the lovely things I have for sale. Tell us a bit about what you do... I spend time searching for the very best in 1940s, 50s, 60s and 70s china. Often the tea sets and kitchenware I find are one offs, or rarely seen as a set, making them extra special and something to snap up whilst you can! I do all the leg work searching out fab vintage and retro china wherever I go, doing all the hard work, so my customers don't have to! I am constantly looking for genuine vintage tea sets, cups, saucers, plates and dishes which are still in really good condition, and that can be used every day. I describe each item honestly, and in real detail - so important when buying pre-loved items. My retro and vintage china is always carefully checked over, hand washed and dried, before packing it extra safely. Ensuring it arrives in the same condition as it left yay retro!, ready for a new life in my customer's home. Who does all the work? It's just me! Though my husband has become very adept at helping me search out fresh vintage stock too.  I get stock from anywhere and everywhere, I cannot walk past a charity shop, junk shop, street market, garage or car boot sale!

It was lovely to meet you in our shop in St. Ives and we hope you liked it too.. I loved your shop so much! Recently I have really got into illustration and graphic design, and so I spent a lot of time looking at Poppy's hand drawn and sewn designs. I absolutely cannot sew, and so I was tremendously impressed with the embroidered drawings. I also loved the way vintage items were interspersed with Poppy's new designs, a very clever idea. I was looking for a gift for my friend and you helped us to find something she would like. We bought some fine cotton tea towels and some egg cups as she had just started keeping chickens. and finally Sue's tip for you...