About Us

Who We Are

Since 1979, Packer Creek Pottery has been dedicated to creating beautiful and functional handmade pottery.  All of our pottery is handcrafted with loving detail in our Genoa, Ohio studio by our team of talented artisans.  We invite you to visit our gallery located at 103 E. 8th Street, Genoa, Ohio.  There you will find thousands of colorful creations proudly displayed along with a unique and fun experience through unrivaled customer service.

Located exactly 71 steps from the gallery is our studio where all of the handmade pieces of pottery are created from start to finish.  The process is slow and intricate due to the high degree of detail and the care that goes into the creation of each individual piece.  In addition to the products in our gallery, we offer custom pottery orders of all sizes for events, corporate gifts and many other individual client needs.  In 2020, Packer Creek Pottery celebrates 41 years of embodying quality, design and excellence.

Our Story

Founder Jan Pugh at the Genoa, Ohio storefront

Our founder Jan Pugh saw her first piece of pottery being thrown on a potter's wheel at a young age.  It made an impression on her and she enrolled in a pottery class at the Toledo Museum of Art at the age of fourteen confirming her passion for pottery.  In 1979, Jan completed her studies at the School for American Craftsmen at the Rochester Institute of Technology and at the Kansas City Art Institute and returned to her hometown of Genoa, Ohio, to set up a studio.  This was the beginning of Jan's signature style and the start of Packer Creek Pottery.  Packer Creek Pottery was given its name after the lovely little stream that winds its way through the Village of Genoa.  Packer Creek Pottery's iconic fish plates and nautical designs are inspired by lakeside proximity.  Over the years the business outgrew its tiny one room studio into its current multi-building complex located in charming downtown Genoa.

The dedication to quality and the unique, whimsical, and colorful designs have earned Packer Creek Pottery national recognition. In 1993, Jan was commissioned by the White House to create an angel for a Christmas tree in the Blue Room.  The original now resides in the National Archives.  Packer Creek Pottery can be found in the homes of many celebrities.  Among them are: Jerry Seinfeld, Julie Andrews, Barbara Bush, Queen Noor of Jordan, Cokie Roberts, Jamie & Joy Farr, Lou Holtz, and Katie Holmes.