Kate came for a visit recently, and I took the opportunity to book a terrific tour of Heath Ceramics in Sausalito. Dear Husband had grudgingly agreed to go with me when I suggested it. So he was happy to have my much more enthusiastic sister take his place 🙂
I love a factory tour. So when I saw that Heath Ceramics does factory tours in Sausalito and San Francisco, I was immediately interested. I didn’t know much about Heath, other than having a love of its beautiful ceramics. I really enjoy handcrafted ceramics, and although Heath does use some machines/automation, the whole experience feels very handmade. And that’s quite deliberate. The tour guide in Sausalito explained that growth at all costs is really not part of their vision. And that they aim to keep the factory very “human centric”. You can see this during the tour of Heath Ceramics. There were machines to assist the humans, not vice versa.
After the hourlong tour ($15 per person), Kate and I headed back into the shop and outlet. The Sausalito location is the only place where you can buy seconds, and we took advantage of it! Heath Ceramics are not inexpensive, and getting the 25-40% discount helps a bit. I resisted the lure of the gorgeous flower vase ($375) and bought 2 mugs and a bud vase at discounts. And you get a 10% off coupon for taking the tour!
I’d highly recommend making a stop at Heath for a tour- or if you don’t have time, just visit the shop. There’s also a lovely store in San Francisco and you can take a tour there too. I believe the tours are more focused on the tile manufacturing process, since most of it is done on that site.
Heath Ceramics, 400 Gate 5 Rd, Sausalito, CA 94965
