TRENDS
The
“Jilly”mug effect
How a blush pink coffee mug kept the wheels turning at P.E.I.’s Village Pottery BY SHELLEY CAMERON-MCCARRON PHOTOS BY DAVE BROSHA
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P.E.I. potter Suzanne Scott with the popular pink mug that everyone wants to get their hands on.
t took 47 minutes flat for the 50 blush pink mugs at P.E.I.’s Village Pottery to sell out on a recent summer day. It was the second time in a week that the New London pottery shop had restocked the mugs customers have started calling “Jilly” mugs — a hot commodity since Canadian influencer Jillian Harris ordered four in spring 2020. Ever since, the family-owned and operated business can’t keep them on the shelf. When they announce on social media that a new batch is out of the kiln, people bring lawn chairs and queue long before opening (sometimes sparking line friendships!) outside their shop. Mugs are limited to two apiece. “April 7, 2020. I will never forget that day,” says potter and owner Suzanne Scott on receiving an Instagram stories notification that Harris had bought four of their blush pink mugs, mentioning Village Pottery to her followers. Harris, who was opening a new headquarters, was on the hunt for items for her office, and had put out a call looking for local businesses to support. A mutual follower suggested Village Pottery’s blush pink collection. Harris’ signature colour is pink. Scott says she didn’t think much of it at the time, as Instagram stories are fleeting — lasting just 24 hours. The mugs though quickly sold out. Scott made more and posted on her social media when restocked. Harris shared that. The mugs sold out again. CBC did a story, which Harris contributed to further fueling demand. “I remember thinking about how we were going to handle this influx as we’re just a small studio,” says Scott. It was mid-April 2020 — amid the first wave and uncertainty of the COVID-19 pandemic. She didn’t want to lose potential customers.
SPRING 2022
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