EP 217: REVIVING SMALL TOWNS THROUGH RETAIL & ARTISTRY WITH LANNA TRANTHAM & JANET CALHOUN
Lana Trantham runs Grace and Grit, a small-town emporium-style business selling unique kitchen and bath goods, organic pantry staples and handmade personal-care items. Lana learned retail and pottery merchandising from her mother while homeschooling four children; she now helps local makers sell through booth-style retail and community events.
Janet Calhoun is a sixth-generation potter and co-owner of Traditions Pottery in Blowing Rock, North Carolina. She learned pottery at her family’s production pottery and built a retail presence over decades—hosting twice-yearly wood-fired kiln openings, selling both wholesale and retail, and blending generational artisan techniques with modern retail strategies.
In this episode: Lana and Janet discuss multi-generational craft traditions, building and merchandising small-town retail, collaborating with local makers, staging kiln openings and seasonal planning, and strategies for keeping community retail alive.
We are doing our first-ever open call! You can submit your store or favorite store to be on the podcast because every store has a story behind it! Go to theretailwhorepodcast.com, click on SUBMIT YOUR STORE, fill out an easy form and we’ll see you on the mic!
We are doing our first-ever open call! You can submit your store or favorite store to be on the podcast because every store has a story behind it! Go to theretailwhorepodcast.com, click on SUBMIT YOUR STORE, fill out an easy form and we’ll see you on the mic!
What’s inside:
1. How family legacy and signature glazes/shapes create a collectible pottery brand and customer loyalty.
2. Practical retail tactics for small-town shops: booth-style emporiums, cross-merchandising, monthly events, and partnering with local government for rent support.
3. The logistics behind seasonal planning for handmade goods: kiln timing, wholesale collaborations, and balancing online sales with in-person tourist seasons.
Bolick and Traditions Pottery Instagram
Bolick and Traditions Pottery Website
The Local Exchange Instagram
