Stephanie Spear 
Reston neighbors Jennie Persson and Paola Lluberas are the duo behind Potters Union, located at 427 Carlisle Drive in Herndon. Jennie and Paola opened the studio to create a space they felt was missing from the local pottery studio offerings. The studio opened in Fall 2025, and in Fall 2026, the team expanded to add The Shop by Potters Union, located at 453 Carlisle Drive in Herndon. The new space has retail pottery supplies, ready-to-paint ceramics, and a setup for private workshops and other events. Read on for more about the new addition from the Potters Union team in Herndon.
Potters Union
Reston neighbors Jennie Persson and Paola Lluberas met when Jennie and her family moved in January 2024 near Paola and her family. They had children of similar ages and forged a fast friendship. At the time, both Jennie and Paola had corporate jobs. In early 2025, Paola was at home on maternity leave, itching for something to do. They shared an interest in pottery and eventually got the idea to open their own pottery studio after not being able to find the right classes + workshop setups in the area.
Paola (l) and Jennie (r)
Potters Union opened in October 2025, and the space is everything the two dreamed of and more. Its location near Sugarland Run means there are mature trees surrounding the studio and a small creek on the ground level. The studio has two dedicated lounging spaces that face the creek, making the whole space feel like a treehouse. Many of the other tenants in the Sugar Oak office park are wellness-focused businesses, which adds to the welcoming atmosphere at the studio.
Read more: How to Enjoy Virginia Wine Month, According to a Northern Virginia Winemaker
The studio has several pottery wheels plus a kiln. Students can take classes and workshops, and members of the studio can work independently during the studio hours. The team also offers private events like birthday parties and specialty workshops hosted by visiting instructors.
The Shop
The popularity of the classes and workshops at Potters Union made an expansion the next logical step. The new space is in the same office park, just a few steps away from the original studio. The space doesn’t have the pottery wheels that are the focus of the main space; it’s better suited to classes geared toward hand-building with clay, private events, and the paint-your-own pottery available with ready-made objects. “We have retail pottery supplies like tools and clay; a gallery with items from local artists to purchase; kiln shares; and the ready-to-paint items,” Paola said. “You can do the paint-your-own pottery any time we’re open – you do not need a reservation.”
“We’re adding a kids pottery segment called The Little Potters Club” Jennie said. “It will be a four-week series where each week the students learn a different hand-building technique. We’re also adding more workshops geared toward handbuilding.” The team is also looking forward to hosting more events to showcase items made by studio members, like pop-up sales and art markets.
See more: Inside Elaine’s, Old Town Alexandria’s Restaurant + Literary Salon
The Shop by Potters Union is open Monday from 12PM to 5PM; Thursday – Saturday from 11AM to 5PM; and Sunday from 11AM to 4PM.
Follow @thefairfaxgirl on Instagram + TikTok for the latest Northern Virginia updates, and check out our events calendar, which has over 100+ events weekly to peruse.
