I chose San Miguel Pottery Land because it is my parents’ pottery business, and I would love to help their business get noticed and gain more attention from tourists. Over time, the store has developed a personality of its own by combining pottery with an alien theme that has become a recognizable part of the business. It also has its own stories and has built a good reputation as the business has continued to grow. I wanted to create a website that could represent that personality online while also giving me the opportunity to build something meaningful for my family.
San Miguel Pottery Land has been unique in its own way since my stepfather, Joe, opened the business. He originally wanted to create a small family-owned store that sold pottery, Talavera pieces, and other unique items for anyone’s home. The store had a strong New Mexican theme because he wanted to represent New Mexico and showcase the unique pieces that people create here. Over time, tourists began stopping by, enjoying the store, and asking about its history. Joe also loves talking with visitors and sharing stories about the business, which I think adds to the experience of visiting a small, family-owned store.
As San Miguel Pottery Land developed, Joe decided to bring alien statues into the store because he thought they would be fun, even though they did not originally fit because of them. Surprisingly, people became even more interested in the store because of them. The alien theme also connects to New Mexico’s history and culture, including the famous 1964 Socorro UFO encounter involving police officer Lonnie Zamora. Since then, the alien side of the business has continued to grow, and today tourists enjoy seeing the aliens and hearing the stories behind them. I think that combination is what makes San Miguel Pottery Land so unique because it gives people something unexpected that they would not normally see at a pottery store.