Dixie Pottery to close April 30

By: Debra McCown/Bristol Herald Courier | TriCities.com
Published: February 12, 2008

After more than 50 years of selling knickknacks and housewares, Dixie Pottery will close by April 30.

“Business is not what it used to be, and we’ve reached a point where we need to shut down,” General Manger Tom Evans said Monday.

“Tastes have changed. Some of the items that used to be popular aren’t popular anymore. Some of them don’t even exist,” he said.

Increased retail competition in the area, particularly at Interstate 81’s Exit 7, also has had an impact, along with rising gas prices, he added.

“The whole shopping experience is just, it’s different than it was then,” Evans said. “In 1985 and 1990, there was Dixie Pottery and not a whole lot else.”

Once Abingdon’s main tourist destination, the shopping emporium still has tour buses that stop by, but these days they are on the way to shows at the Barter Theatre.

“In the old days ... Dixie Pottery was the No. 1 at attracting people to our region,” said Richard Rose, producing artistic director at Barter. “Second was the Martha Washington [Inn], and Barter Theatre went along with that.”

Now, he says, Barter is the destination, and Dixie Pottery is along for the ride.

Now the shelves are emptying at the longtime retail institution that sells “neat stuff,” as signs inside proclaim, and all manner of items now available at big-box chain stores.

Developer Steve Johnson, who bought the business eight years ago, said his lease is up on the building and Dixie Pottery is not making enough money for him to renew.

“I think part of the magic [of Exit 13] was that you had Southern Home Accents, Hobby House, Abingdon Rug Outlet and Dixie Pottery. Everybody was kind of there,” Johnson said. “But then as Exit 7 developed into what it was, one by one they started dropping, and I was kind of the last man standing.”

Johnson said he doesn’t know what plans the owner might have for the building, and the owner could not be reached for comment Monday.

“Eight years ago, Ed [Yates] was going to close the business anyway, and it was just by chance that we struck up a deal where I would buy it and keep it open,” Johnson said. “Can you believe that? A hometown business competing against all this, all these big retailers, for 50 years. That’s pretty amazing.”

dmccown@bristolnews.com | (276) 791-0701

Dixie Pottery to close April 30

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