Downtown Gettysburg boasts an abundance of quaint shops within easy walking distance of historic Lincoln Square. The Pottery Box, a colorful and unique shop located at 23 Chambersburg Street, a mere half-block from the Square, offers a fine selection of unique and varied gifts that range from a dollar to those that are more costly. The store is owned by ETL Express Services and is operated aby Henry and Laura Fernandez, who opened the shop in the summer of 2008. “Our store is an outlet for many local artists,” Laura says. It is certainly one of the most colorful places in town as well, with original oil paintings, sculptures, pottery, candles, jewelry, and more to showcase the area’s many talented artists. Some of the area’s talent includes Jack Handshaw, whose Hobbit House pottery is a well-known best seller, potter Nick Corso, woodworker Jamie Miller, jewelry creator Sharon Moul, and artists Patricia Cavenaugh, Rebecca Brown, and Dorothea Barrick. Mary Jewell – who is known as a “storyteller in pictures” is a talented painter and sculptor whose art is also available at The Pottery Box. Laura Fernandez, is an artist too, who has created her own collection of soy candles. They are colorful, with wonderful scents – and are safer as soy smokes far less than regular candles. The shop also offers a fine selection of colorful items by Bay Pottery from the Shenandoah Valley, Fireborn Studios from Pittsburgh, and Crystalline Pottery from North Carolina – another favorite that Laura and Henry find difficult to keep on the shelf.

There is a children’s corner to the rear of the store, food items, and gift baskets. The customer’s eye, however, is equally drawn to the vibrant, colorful Mexican Talavera – a hand-crafted, one-of-a-kind art form that combines elegance with a hint of old Mexico. A fine array of Talavera graces the tables and walls of the shop. Laura’s husband, a native of Mexico, travels frequently to his Mother Land to acquire the beautiful pottery, jewelry, and art at unbelievably low prices. (In fact, the idea for the business came when Laura sold a piece of Talavera to someone and realized that there was a market for this art form that has been popular since the 1700s.) Alpaca silver jewelry and hair ornaments are also offered. Mirrors, jewelry boxes, frames, clocks, and a plethora of glazed pottery in all ranges of colors from pastels to vibrant hues are available.

For those who have forgotten their sunglasses, The Pottery Box offers a fine selection for just $5. And, for those serving in the United States military, Laura gives a free gift to those who shop there, in gratitude for the sacrifice our men and women in the armed forces make for our freedom and safety. “I am just so thankful for them,” she says. “So, I want to give something back.”
The Pottery Box is open Wednesday through Sataurday from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. It is closed on Monday and Tuesday.

For colorful, wonderful, and unique gifts, stop in at The Pottery Box, completing its first year in Gettysburg. With its friendly atmosphere and its wide selection of art and affordable merchandise, The Pottery Box will be celebrating many more anniversaries in our historic town.