Written by Olivia Brown
Cleveland Park Main Street volunteer Olivia Brown sat down for a conversation with Liz Winchell about her beloved pottery studio on Cleveland Park Main Street and what makes it so special.
Tell us how you came to own All Fired Up!
In college my mother moved to Cleveland Park, and I spent many of my college breaks in the neighborhood. After college, I saw an ad in the city paper for a job at a paint your own pottery store in Cleveland Park. I worked at the shop for three or four years and had always told the owner that if he were to sell, I was interested in buying the shop. I worked my way through the ranks, eventually becoming manager, and absolutely loved the store. In 2004, I bought the business and renamed it “All Fired Up”!
Tell us a little more about your business that many of us might not know.
Most people don’t know how labor-intensive the process of glazing and firing the pieces really is. Pottery is double dipped in glaze, hand loaded on the kiln, and heated for 30 hours. Once the pieces are out of the kiln, they are scraped with sanding stone. Everyone who works at All Fired Up takes a lot of pride in the process and wants customers to be satisfied with the pieces they’re taking home.
Tell us the most memorable thing a customer ever did or said.
There have been so many funny weekend nights where customers drink and play music around the shop. I feel honored to be a part of people’s lives in the community. I have seen people propose in the store, come back after getting married, come back pregnant, and come back with their kids. I’m proud of the fact that people leave our store in a good mood and happy. From kids birthday parties to adults coming in to paint, I’m grateful that I can make a positive impact on a person’s day!
Visit All Fired Up at 3413 Connecticut Avenue NW! The shop is open Tuesday-Saturday from 12-8PM and Sunday 12-6PM. In addition to pottery painting you can also create mosaic and fused glass pieces in the studio! They also offer classes, camps, take home kits, and parties for both kids and adults. Check out AllFiredUpDC.com for all the details!