Georgia grist mill-turned-pottery shop is a holiday destination

CLARKESVILLE, Ga. - Holiday shopping doesn’t have to mean long lines and stressful interactions. In fact, there’s a place where crossing items off your shopping list truly feels like a peaceful getaway because it is.

We’re talking about Mark of the Potter, the locally-made pottery and contemporary crafts studio nestled along the Soque River in Clarkesville. We last visited Mark of the Potter in 2019, when owner Chadwick Peck and crew were celebrating the shop’s 50th anniversary. But, as we learned that morning, the history of the building stretches back much further than just half a century.

"This mill was built by a father and son team, Alan and Robert Watts," said Peck. "And they went ahead and purchased the property, built this mill, and it was in activity from the mid-1930s until the mid-1960s."

The mill was purchased by retired couple John and Glen LaRowe in 1969, who transformed it into an eclectic pottery paradise. It’s been attracting visitors from around the world ever since.

"We only close one day out of the year, Christmas Day … always been that way, since 1969," Peck told us.

Speaking of Christmas, Mark of the Potter will once again be offering photo sessions with Santa this year, with professional photographer Kim Martin behind the lens. Sessions are available on Nov. 25 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Nov. 26 from noon to 4 p.m. and may be booked here.

Oh, and here’s a cool new development since the last time we visited: the team has renovated the 1930s mill apartment into a mountain retreat, now available on Airbnb.

Mark of the Potter is located at 9982 Highway 197 North in Clarkesville, and its hours are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily. For more information, click here. And for a preview of what’s available inside, click the video player in this article!