LOUISVILLE, Ky. — There were remnants of Black Friday nostalgia, Wednesday, outside Hadley Pottery, as dozens lined up single-file for its first-of-the-month sale.
Customers told WHAS11 a group of at least 10 camped outside the brick and mortar store as early as 5:45 a.m.
Randy Schaffer and his wife Jackie Schaffer, a Kentucky-native, said they drove a car 900-miles up from the Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas area just be at Wednesday's sale.
"M.A. Hadley Pottery is a part of Kentucky culture. It's a part of Kentucky history," Randy Schaffer said. "It's not just a plate or a bowl, its a part of our family and memories."
Fellow Kentucky-native Tara Voit also traveled up to Hadley from the South: New Mexico. Though, Voit said she arrived by plane. She arrived Tuesday night and plans to leave less than 24 hours later.
"It's because of the history and tradition of Hadley Pottery," Voit said. "They're [pieces] that conjure up great memories and happiness and feelings of the holidays."
This incredible success came days after the 82-year-old pottery shop announced a new owner had purchased the business with the goal of bringing "the factory back to its former glory."
After the Butchertown business announced in a March Facebook post it was closing its doors, customers flooded the store with orders.
Its most recent owner, Jerry Day, said in the span of four days, Hadley received eight months-worth of orders, forcing them to stop machines.
Day worked in the building 48 years and said the cost of materials, machine repairs and replacement and other soaring costs made impossible to stay in business.
Ultimately Day, who had worked at the store since 1974, was able to sell it to local investor and philanthropist Brook Smith.
Smith grew up going to the pottery store, and now, as owner, said he plans to restore the historic building and improve production at Louisville's iconic ceramics shop in the coming years.
“I mean Louisville is its home and like I said, I’m standing in the same spot I stood in 45 years ago when my mother brought me to Hadley," Smith told WHAS11 in a previous interview.
Through the end of the year, Hadley will continue to host one-time, monthly sales. According to its website, "future sales hours are to be determined and we will let you know as soon as the schedule is finalized. As we settle in, we will not be taking Online orders, but plan to make that available as soon as possible."
Make it easy to keep up-to-date with more stories like this. Download the WHAS11 News app now. For Apple or Android users.
Have a news tip? Email assign@whas11.com, visit our Facebook page or Twitter feed.