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Run by a cooperative of five artisans, Avanos Çarşı Seramik has an excellent array of functional and decorative ceramics, ranging from pieces with Hittite and Anatolian designs to the Kütahya and İznik styles more commonly seen in Western Turkey. Prices are negotiable.
This large shop just off the main tile-makers street offers a variety of tiles, bowls, plates, vases, and other ceramic goods.
The oldest, most famous, and by far the funkiest pottery shop in Avanos, Chez Galip is known not just for ceramics but also what its owner calls the world's largest collection of human hair—thousands upon thousands of locks are on display in Galip's downtown shop, near the post office (PTT). The pottery selection includes both typical styles and interesting freehand sculptural pieces. The production facilities, and a wider selection of pottery, are housed in a larger venue about 1½ km (1 mile) away on the other side of the river (Yeni Mah., Hasan Kalesi Mevkii 3).
Once an early Ottoman theology school, this building now houses a tile and ceramics bazaar with 10 workshops. They're grouped around a peaceful courtyard, where you can enjoy a cup of tea or a Turkish coffee.
The flagship showroom of the İznik Foundation, dedicated to reviving and preserving the classic art of İznik ceramic and tile work, is in the upscale suburb of Etiler. Operating as a kind of design studio for İznik tiles, the foundation has lately worked mainly on large-scale institutional projects—ranging from metro stations and mosques in Istanbul to Hermès window displays in Paris—but also design tiles for private clients, and some individual pieces are for sale as well. Prices are high, but the quality is outstanding.
