As Island Stoneware was sold in 2016 to Chris Palmer who in November 2017 sold the operation to Perry Niessen Studios Inc. this blog post will focus on Perry Niessen Studios.
Perry Niessen Studios combines the surnames of the owners Randy Perry and Jamie Niessen.
Their website indicates:
Island Stoneware pottery is made by Perry Niessen Studios Inc., owned and operated by Randy Perry and Jamie Niessen, two business professionals with a shared passion for arts and craft. We are aspiring potters at this point, and the remarkable handcrafting of all the Island Stoneware pottery is done by our team of talented artisans. We started in 2008 as Right Off the Batt pottery and changed our name to Island Stoneware. We recently re-located our studio to Summerside from Borden-Carleton.The address is:
664B Water St E, Summerside, PE C1N 4J1
An article in the Journal-Pioneer gives an introduction to the new owners:
Island Stoneware relocates to Summerside, looking for to hire new staffers
The Journal Pioneer
Published: Jan 16, (2019 likely) at 1:53 p.m.
Updated: Jan 18 at 6 a.m.
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| Tunde Szarka, is shown hand building a custom mug at Island Stoneware studios. Szarka has worked with Island Stoneware for five years. - Contributed to the Journal-Pioneer |
SUMMERSIDE, P.E.I. – A popular Island pottery business has found new site for its production studio.
Perry Niessen Studios Inc., makers of Island Stoneware handcrafted pottery, recently moved to a Summerside location which offers more space, improved access to skilled talent and better shipping service for the studio’s wholesale business.
The move is happening in correlation with Summerside native Randy Perry’s return home.
“About two years ago we were living in Toronto and it struck us, as much as we love the things a big city had to offer, we were ready for more space and less pace,” said Perry, co-owner of Island Stoneware.
“We started looking at opportunities to start up or buy a business on the Island and quite quickly we found Island Stoneware to be a great fit for our skills and interest.”
“About two years ago we were living in Toronto and it struck us, as much as we love the things a big city had to offer, we were ready for more space and less pace.”
-Randy Perry
Within seven months of the initial idea to move home, Perry and his spouse, Jamie Niessen, bought a home in Summerside. The couple took ownership of the business in November 2017. Before the move, Island Stoneware was located in Borden-Carleton. The company’s primary business is as a manufacturing wholesaler, selling its Island-made pottery to retailers across Canada and the United States.
“Within three weeks of announcing our move to Summerside, we found a skilled potter to join our team,” said Perry. “We’re also looking to add a new hand builder to the team.”
A hand builder makes pottery from slab, rather than on a wheel and adds designs elements to those pieces.
Perry works full time as a database developer for a Calgary-based software company.
Niessen, originally from Alberta, is responsible for the day-to-day operations of the studio.
“We’ve been home for about a year-and-a-half now,” said Perry. “We still marvel at how easy it is to get places, like how quickly we can to get to the beach or enjoy a dog walk on the boardwalk. Owning a business takes a lot of effort but, on P.E.I., we have so much more time to live, not just work.”
newsroom@journalpioneer.com
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In 2025 Island Stoneware announced on Facebook that it would be closing with this post:
We have made the decision to close our beloved Island Stoneware.
It has been our honour to bring beautiful, handmade pottery to you over all these years. There are many reasons behind this decision but, as with many other small businesses, we were deeply affected by the pandemic and access to highly-skilled talent.
While we are closing, we are heartened to know we will remain a part of your morning coffees, meals shared with family and friends and maybe even stories of time you spent on our beautiful Island. It's been our pleasure to serve you.
Our deepest thanks to you for welcoming us into your homes.
Please come see us and enjoy our closing sale where all pottery is 50 to 80% off.
Our last day is Thursday, October 2, 2025. Until then we are open Tuesday through Saturday from 10 - 5 pm.
Thank you,
Jamie & Randy
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