Are you a dish-lover? If so, and you are looking for a phenomenal shopping experience, look no further than Boleslawiec, Poland. Boleslawiec is a charming town located in southwestern Poland, famous for its exquisite and durable stoneware pottery (what we, in the know, call “Polish Pottery”). Talk to any military spouse who has lived in Poland or Germany and they are likely to have a collection they will be happy to show you. Polish Pottery is not just quality kitchenware – food cooks like a dream in the bakeware and is super easy to clean – but is also beautiful, with bright, vibrant colors and unique designs. If you don’t need dishes, there are plenty of other products available, including, for instance, amazing Halloween pumpkins or unique sinks for your future home (yes, we have a Polish Pottery sink or two). Check it out and you, too, will see what the fuss is all about.
Here are a few tips to help you plan before you hit the road.
Plan your Purchases
Take some time to do a bit of research and make a list of what you want. Once you start shopping, the many options can quickly become overwhelming: for first-time shoppers, this manifests itself in two ways. Either they are so overwhelmed they buy nothing, or they buy everything in sight because every store has something unique they have to have.
A couple of hours online will give you a good idea of what will be available. Here are some questions to ask yourself:
- Do I want everything to match or do I want an eclectic mix of patterns? (a matching set will be much more difficult to find as many patterns are exclusive to a single store)
- What colors will go best with what I have in my home, whether my current home or my future one?
- What function do I want my dishes to play? Do I want a complete set of dinnerware? Mixing bowls? Bakeware? Pet dishes? Gifts for friends and family? A soup tureen and bowls? Decorative items? For everyday or the Holidays? (the correct answer is “all of the above!”)
Know the Codes
Every piece of polish pottery is marked with a sticker identifying the quality of the piece, with 1 being the best quality. Qualities 2 & 3 have less detail. Anything below a 3 may not be safe for baking due to a flaw. Quality codes differ depending on the store so be sure to ask the store clerk.
Plan Your Trip
How much time do you have for your trip? I have made multiple one-day trips to Boleslawiec, but I much prefer two full days. Depending on where you are travelling from, or if this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, I would recommend a lengthy stay.
Where will you stay? Although other places are available, I highly recommend staying at the Blue Beetroot. They don’t have many rooms so make a reservation as soon as you pick your dates. This is a common place for English-speakers to stay, particularly military spouses who are always quick to share their experiences and advice. Plan on having dinner and/or breakfast at the hotel. You will hear people discussing what they’ve found at the shops & be able to pick up some tips. One of the benefits of staying at the Blue Beetroot is that they will give you a packet with information on all the shops which includes a quick write-up, current hours and addresses for each. If you will be arriving early in the day, swing by the Blue Beetroot for the packet before going to the shops. Many shops offer discounts for Blue Beetroot lodgers, and the coupons will be given to you at the hotel. This packet is the key to your shopping sanity so guard it closely! I’m not writing for them—I’ve stayed elsewhere, and I genuinely prefer my experience there.
If you aren’t sure what you are going to want to buy, having a day to look through the shops. Making notes and taking photos will be helpful before shopping the following day. But trust me, it is very difficult to make it to all the shops in a single day.
Plan your Price Point
OK, I admit I haven’t always shopped for pottery with a budget in mind. Usually it’s a frantic “this may be my last time here so I’d better get everything I may ever need” mentality. Having a budget may keep you from over buying. Whatever works for you. I’m certainly not one to judge.
Pick your Posse
Decide who will be going on the trip. These stores have a lot of inventory & pottery is often in stacks on the shelves and floors, making the shops very difficult to maneuver with small children. If you’re making this trip as a family, I highly encourage your spouse to take the kiddos to a nearby park while you shop (which will be the entire day).
Unless your spouse is a rare and unusual treasure, shopping for pottery is usually a friend trip. You will be spending a lot of time traveling & shopping with these people so go with friends you enjoy. My husband, who has been there once (and only because we were driving home from another place in Poland)—compared to the many times I’ve gone with friends —is nodding his head in agreement.
Create your Caravan
If you are driving, which is honestly the best way to get around in Boleslawiec, you have a couple of decisions to make:
- Who will drive? (hint: it’s always the person with the biggest van!)
- How many people will travel in each vehicle? I highly recommend no more than four people for each minivan. Less is more—more space for all your new pottery, that is!
- How will costs be divided? The rule of thumb we have always adhered to is gas costs are divided by everyone except the driver.
- What is your departure location (hint: the driver’s house) and time? If the driver must pick everyone up, that could be a lot of time driving that would have been valuable for shopping later.
Don’t forget to take out those extra seats and fill up the gas tank the day before you leave. And save those gas receipts so costs can be divided.
Make your load plan
Even if you are making one of those excruciating one-day trips, you will still need to pack. Hello, snacks! You know what you like, so pack it up and take some for your friends as well.
I also recommend packing a small measuring tape to carry in your purse. Not all dishes in Boleslawiec are uniform in size. Imagine my surprise when I arrived home to discover I had two different size dinner plates. Take along your measuring tape & make note of the sizes of the pieces you buy. And don’t forget to pack your phone charger and a power bank. The serious shopper knows recharging happens on the go!
Plan your Priorities
Take a bit of time to sit with your traveling mates to decide which stores to prioritize, even if you spend the first day just browsing. I recommend starting at one end of town and picking the shops that sound best to you. Don’t be afraid to skip a store if you aren’t sure you will have the time. You can always go back. If someone in your group has been before, get their input on the most unique stores. Stores with exclusive patterns often sell out of those patterns quickly.
Enjoy the Experience
You will likely be shopping on adrenaline (and need to crash when you return home), but don’t forget to enjoy your experience. Be sure to take a break for a sit-down lunch. It will be a great opportunity to try some local cuisine (hello, perogis!!) and catch your second wind. It’s amazing how much more shopping you can handle after you’ve taken an actual lunch break.
You’re now ready to pack up and hit the road! Enjoy your shopping. And go as soon as possible because once you’ve been, you will want to go back again!
