Falling for Fiestaware

I'd always associated Fiestaware with vintage shops, retro diners and hipster-wannabes who thought dressing like a Fonz caricature or Flo from "Alice" was somehow ironic.

Then about 10 years ago, my mom got me four placesettings of Fiestaware in yellow. She'd seen it on sale and thought it would look pretty in my new apartment.

That's all it took. I became a Fiesta Fanatic.

I love Fiestaware. The vivid colors, the mix-and-match of it all, the endless possibilities, the cheerfulness of it even on a gray day, it's all good.

The Fiesta colors are ever-evolving, and that makes the line fun.

My favorites have been the clear, bright colors that were coming in for a while -- Tangerine, Shamrock, Peacock and Sunflower. I wasn't crazy about some of the darker recent colors such as Cinnabar and Heather.

But Homer Laughlin China isn't afraid to mix it up. Its two most recent color additions went in both directions with a rich brown called Chocolate and a bright green called Lemongrass that is very close to the retired Chartreuse. Just as the recently retired Evergreen was very similar to the retired Juniper, and the just-introduced Paprika is close to the recently retired Persimmon and the classic Radioactive Red.

I'm loving the drinkware, both the striped glassware (right) and the new coordinating tumblers by Tervis. The flatware sets and steak knives would be great for picnics. The new bakeware works both for baking and serving. The linens work indoors and out. And the square Fiestaware collection is fresh and modern.

John has a mixed relationship with the Fiestaware. He likes the colors. But he doesn't like the colors all jumbled up in the cabinet. So when he empties the dishwasher, he sorts it all by color so the yellows are all together, the various shades of blue are all together, etc.

He also does not like the small, ring-shaped handles on the mugs that come in the regular placesettings. They're too small for his fingers. The java mugs are a big improvement.

What helped me dive head first into building my collection of Fiestaware was that I was living just over two hours from the home of Fiestaware, Homer Laughlin China in Newell, West Virginia. Newell is at the tippy-top of West Virginia, along the Ohio River near where West Virginia, Ohio and Pennsylvania meet.

 And at the Newell factory is ... the factory store! You can get not only all the latest and greatest Fiesta there, you can go to the cavernous back room and pick your way through the seconds.

Seconds are not for the collectors looking to invest in pristine Fiestaware for display and/or investment. Seconds are imperfect -- the color may not be even, the glaze may be scratched or dulled. But if you're looking to use your Fiestaware and not worry about it, it's perfect.

The prices can be, as the Crazy Eddie ads used to say, insaaaaaane. One time, the oval platters, which run at least $20 in stores, were $1.50. I've gotten the covered casseroles for around $15.

The seconds area is all open stock, so if you want placesettings or matching sets of things like mixing bowls you have to root through the individual pieces to build them yourself. And selection is based on whatever was made -- and messed up -- recently. You may not be able to find enough of the popular colors at one time to get everything you want, and you might have to wade through a lot of cobalt to find the peacock.

But you can also find pieces you don't always find at the department stores, like the little creamers shaped like the disc pitchers, or the pie plates, or the ramekins.

My cousin Janet was very excited to find out about Fiestaware, when I posted information about this week's June Tent Sale on Facebook. She loves supporting Made-in-the-USA products, especially when you don't always know what's in imported goods.

Sometimes, I think simple white dinnerware would be easier. But I wonder if I'd get bored. And I can always buy white or ivory Fiestaware...

Comments

[Melinda]

I have yellow, peacock and lime green, as well as some vintage Fiesatware from my great grandma!

[Melissa Hebert]

If you want, next time you're in the area we can make a Fiesta factory run.

[Baseball Diva]

What's the nearest ballparK? I mean, I can't drive all that way just for potential dishes. I miss the Syracuse China Factory Outlet.

[Melissa Hebert]

There's PNC Park in Pittsburgh not even an hour away.

[Crystal L]

Oh...I would probably drive there twice a month! As it is I find myself newly living on the east coast and I will be making the 10.5hr drive for the October tent sale. Very excited. Any suggestions on where to stay nearby? Where to eat???
-Crystal

[Melissa Hebert]

Crystal, the closest big city is Pittsburgh, which is about an hour away. Steubenville, Ohio, is about 40 minutes away. Mountaineer Casino/Resort in Chester, W. Va., is another option.

I don't remember seeing a whole lot close to the Homer Laughlin factory in terms of hotels. You may have better luck with a B&B.

If you're into ceramics, East Liverpool, just across the river, has a museum: http://www.themuseumofceramics.org/.

[Jhames Stewart]

How lovely and colorful these glass drinkware are. The cups and saucers are very attractive and I am thinking of putting mine back into the rack. They are kind of recycled-vintage actually, but they still look so good. And I guess they are very effective accent in the kitchen.