After nearly 11 years of painting, potting and party-hosting, the founder of Happy Hands Pottery is ready to pass the brush.
“It was a great almost 11 years,” owner Alla Ionescu said. “It was my daughter’s inspiration. She’s the true artist in the family… She told Mommy, ‘Why don’t you open a pottery studio?’ And Mommy took a training in pottery — and this is 11 years later.”
But now, with her children leaving the nest and her need to be closer to her elderly parents, Ionescu is relocating out of state to start a new chapter in her life. In the same way she’s grown Happy Hands with dedicated care and passion, she wants to see the business continue to be successful with a new owner.
And she says the way it’s been built and lovingly managed, it’s an opportunity for whoever that may be.
“It is a turnkey. And it’s not just turnkey — it’s a very well-established machine,” Ionescu said.
Since opening in 2015, Happy Hands has become deeply woven into the fabric of Wilton life — and beyond. With locations in Wilton and Fairfield, the business has grown to serve thousands of families across Fairfield County. It’s not just the kids who keep coming back — it’s their parents, grandparents, teachers, classmates, teammates and neighbors.
“Our clients, they’ve been supportive. They support us through COVID, through tariffs… They still book parties. They love it.”
From birthday celebrations and baby footprints to college send-offs, the studio has seen children grow up, families return year after year, and a loyal customer base flourish. “It’s amazing to see — after years, the little kids who were getting their prints, and now they’re growing up, they’re coming in with Starbucks cups.”
The business was always intended to be more than just a place to paint pottery. The studio developed into a trusted community hub, hosting after-school enrichment, partnering with public and private schools, and welcoming people of all ages and abilities — including programs with Wilton’s special needs community, seniors and Westport Continuing Education.
With a steady stream of bookings — especially for birthday parties — Happy Hands operates as a high-functioning small business, thanks to years of intentional planning and refinement.
Much of that structure comes from what the owner calls her “handy-dandy employee handbook” — a detailed operations manual built over more than a decade. “This book… gives you step-by-step scenario, if I’m not here, and how to make it streamlined and consistent across all locations… Literally to the minute — how to run your birthday party, how you run your camp. This is 11 years of work.”
The manual reflects the owner’s background in corporate America. “This book is a product of corporate America… By creating this, this is my kind of dedication to… confirming to the client, I’m going to give you the best, consistent quality service.”
Still, Happy Hands remains very much a hands-on, people-first small business — built to be flexible and creative, with a strong part-time team, most of whom have art or education backgrounds, who have been with the business for a long time.
“We have five employees — they’re all part-time. Everyone has a personal touch. Everyone brings something new to the table,” Ionescu said, adding, “I truly believe this is the strongest team Happy Hands has ever had.”
The owner is eager to train a successor thoroughly and will support the new owner fully through the transition, connecting potential buyers to suppliers, landlords and community partners.
“I will teach them everything — how to operate… I will make them chef of the pottery studio, so they will understand the production, buying, teaching, designing programs. And after they’ll understand this whole process, they can take a step back and figure out what they want to do with it.”
She sees the ideal next owner as someone local, someone invested in the community.
“Ultimately, it would be a family from Wilton or a nearby town — a mom or dad or a family who don’t just look at this business as a major investment. It’s a small business… something you can do for your own kind of soul satisfaction.”
The sale includes both the Wilton and Fairfield locations, which are “strategically positioned” to serve the broader region — from Darien, New Canaan and Westport to Stamford and Trumbull. Both leases are aligned and supported by their landlords, Kimco (Wilton) and Fischel Properties (Fairfield).
“As we’ve explored the opportunity to sell the business, both Kimco and Fischel have expressed strong excitement about keeping Happy Hands in town. They’re eager to support us in finding a new tenant from the local community who can continue what we’ve built,” Ionescu said.
The Fairfield location, situated inside the Sportsplex, was originally envisioned as a short-term pop-up — but has proven to be a powerful complement to Wilton, with strong foot traffic and cross-town reach. “Visually, [the two locations] look the same. They’re decorated the same. As a concept, it’s designed as a franchise — but it’s not.”
The business model is robust yet adaptable, and the owner sees room for future growth — with interest from New Canaan, Darien, Rowayton and beyond.
“I’ve had brokers calling me to expand to other towns all the time. But I’m just not in a position to do it. However, there is great opportunity.”
For all the business acumen behind it, Happy Hands was built from a place of personal inspiration — and purpose.
“As a mom, I’ve always cherished how this business gave me the flexibility to be present for my kids, while still doing something meaningful,” Ionescu said. “This business gave me what I was looking for… I couldn’t just stay home. I had to do something more… And now, it’s time to step back and prioritize my family in a new way.”
The studio’s founder says she will remain available to guide the next owner through the transition. “I will not leave them alone… A few weeks of full-on day-to-day operation, until they get comfortable. And then probably more of a consulting system.”
And she remains committed to seeing the studio continue to thrive.
“I don’t want anyone to fail… I worked so hard for 11 years. The last thing I want is Happy Hands to close because somebody failed… This isn’t just a business. It’s a legacy.”
Serious inquiries about purchasing Happy Hands Pottery should be sent to Ionescu via email.
