Nestled within the hustle and bustle of the Delmar Loop is a recently opened shop that sparks creativity and imagination in all who go through its doors. Your Pot’s Desire is a place where one can choose any form of pottery available, whether a ceramic animal or a plate, paint it and then have it glazed and ready to pick up in a couple of days.

The name itself, based off of a well-known cliché, gives insight into the light atmosphere of the store and the creativity of the two owners—Whitney Wade, a Washington University alumna, and Brittany Crittenden, a graduate of Saint Louis University. Their friendship throughout college helped them create what is now a successful business.

“[Brittany and I] met three years ago; we were in the same sorority. Our sorority has a citywide chapter. Then we became business partners,” Wade said. “[Brittany] graduated with a business degree, and I graduated with a psychology degree, but I’ve been painting all my life.”

After visiting a local pottery place, Wade and Crittenden realized that opening one of their own would be a good idea and an excellent way to use both of their talents. Their business background is evident in the wise choice to place their first store on the Loop.

“We thought the Loop would be an excellent place to put [the shop] with all the young adults, the children from the neighborhood, and families. We thought a lot of people could benefit from putting it here,” Crittenden said. “I definitely think we have an advantage over other studios because we have all the high foot traffic. We get a lot of people who have never been to this type of place before and just happened to walk by.”

In addition to being in a convenient place, especially for Wash. U. students, Your Pot’s Desire offers a fun and unique twist to the art of pottery painting. From its vivid colors to its multitudes of available paints and stencils, the shop definitely has a lot to offer.

“We order from three different companies to get a unique array of products,” Crittenden said. “We wanted to have stuff for everybody and hit all the demographics. When I order, I put myself in other people’s shoes.”

“A lot of people come in and, if they are older, want something that they can use,” Wade said. “Others just want something cute. It just depends on the person.”

Your Pot’s Desire even offers specialties for college students, such as paddles, Greek letters and shot glasses. The store’s convenient prices also cater to those with a tight budget, making it the perfect place to host a night out for suitemates and roommates to design some goods for their dorm room.
If the thought of drawing even a simple design makes you nervous, don’t worry. No experience is needed to participate in the activity; there are stencils and paint colors for every type of idea, and Wade and Crittenden thoroughly explain every step.

“We allow our customers to come back if they don’t finish, so they can finish on their own time,” Crittenden said.

Safe to say, their way of running business has been popular among those who have participated in the creation of pottery. But when Wade and Crittenden first opened up shop, the subject of the store was not always clear to passersby.

“People came in here and asked for drugs,” Crittenden said, explaining how the name of the store was sometimes confused.

“Some guy came in here and talked to me for about 30 minutes about how angry he was about the Red Sea (the previous occupant of the space) closing,” Wade said.

Despite these rocky beginnings, Wade and Crittenden persevered, and Your Pot’s Desire is as successful as ever. The board in front of the store even features advertisements for future themed events, such as a game night, ladies night and date night.

Inside Your Pot’s Desire on the Delmar Loop. (Josh Goldman | Student Life)

More information can be found at their Web site, http://www.yourpotsdesire.com, and through the Your Pot’s Desire fan page on Facebook.