Claybanks Pottery

About Claybanks Pottery

Claybanks Pottery is a working studio run by a family of potters in the woods along Lake Michigan's shoreline, on Scenic Drive west of New Era. It opened at this spot on January 1, 1980. In the early years the potters sold at art fairs with their work laid out on a blanket; now nearly everything is sold from the studio itself.

The pottery is high-fire stoneware meant to be used: dishes, pitchers, pots, lamps, berry bowls, pocket bowls, fish dishes, bird baths and garden pieces. It is dishwasher safe. Each piece takes weeks, with drying, a bisque firing, glazing and a final high-temperature firing in a gas kiln, and the potters build stock through the year ahead of the summer rush.

Visitors are welcome to wander the studio, watch the potters at the wheel and browse at their own pace. The studio takes special orders and ships orders by phone, so you can buy a set and have more sent later. Scenic Drive follows the Lake Michigan shore north of Whitehall, so the trip out is part of the visit.

Cherry Point Farm & Market, with its lavender-edged labyrinth and herb garden, is about 15 minutes north, and the two stops pair well on a slow lakeshore day.

What to do

• Watch the potters at work in the studio
• Shop dinnerware, pitchers and berry bowls
• Pick out a stoneware bird bath or garden piece
• Ask about a special order or shipping a set home
• Drive Scenic Drive along the Lake Michigan bluffs

Season, hours and prices

Season

Open year-round

Hours

Daily 10–5, year-round (as posted October 2026)

Admission

free

Tips for your visit

• Summer is the busiest time; the potters build stock all year for it
• Large pieces can be shipped, so you do not need to fit everything in the car

Pair it with a lavender farm

Cherry Point Farm & Market · about 15 minutes away

Cherry Point Farm & Market is about 15 minutes north, so pair pottery browsing here with the lavender labyrinth there.

Getting there

• Address: 7060 S. Scenic Dr., New Era, MI 49446
• Phone: (231) 894-4177
• Website: claybankspottery.com

Questions

🗺️ Part of the guide Things to Do Near the Lavender Farm of Silver Lake Sand Dunes & Oceana County, Michigan

Checked in October 2026 against the business’s own website and local tourism pages. Hours and seasons change, so check with them before you go. How we check listings · Is this your business? Claim it free