A flower pot that was brought to town from Sea Isle City has been bringing smiles to drivers who pass through a busy intersection, thanks to a local family.
The Pontelandolfo family relocated “Pot Man,” the name of the flower pot figurine, from Sea Isle City to the intersection of Mt. Royal Road and Main Street in Mantua, which is heavily traveled. Lisa Pontelandolfo said the flower pot was sitting along Landis Avenue in the resort town and attracted attention from the locals until her uncle John relocated it.
“We didn’t decorate him or anything except for changing out the flowers,” said Pontelandolfo. “I think it was a visiting nurse who said to him ‘my son has outgrown his Halloween costume, would you like to have it for Pot Man?’”
Since then, Pontelandolfo said Pot Man has worn numerous outfits throughout the years, such as holding a sign to remember former sports commentator Harry Kalas and saying “good luck” to Brenna Weick, who was a resident of Mantua and competed in a Miss America pageant.
“There was a contest for, I think, second or third grade, and they wrote who they looked up to, and the kids were saying ‘my mom, my dad,’” said Pontelandolfo. “This little girl wrote ‘Pot Man.’ So, we invited her to help us, and we’ve been friends ever since.”
Pontelandolfo, however, said she’ll never give Pot Man lights or anything that flickers after a driver became distracted seeing the flower pot being re-decorated, and hit another car.
“That was terrible, and it’s why we don’t like to put up any lights or anything that flashes,” she said. “It draws your attention and you can’t help but look at it.”
Occasionally, Pontelandolfo said she’ll be stopped by people who will bring design ideas for the flower pot or will provide her with funds or decorations to don on it. To thank them, she said a sign usually accompanies the new decoration.
Since being placed at the intersection, Pontelandolfo said the flower pot has only being vandalized once. She heard people become “outraged” and say it was “murdered.”
“He’s just a regular guy that smiles,” said Pontelandolfo. “I think it would neat if he got into that ‘Weird New Jersey’ book because we’re weird.”
The face on the flower pot is of Pontelandolfo’s uncle, and she said it gets redone following inclement to keep it presentable.
One thing Pontelandolfo said she’ll never do for Pot Man is endorse a political campaign or a controversial issue because “Pot Man loves everyone, he doesn’t see Republican, Democrat or color – he loves everyone.”
As for the personified flower pot gaining attention throughout town, Pontelandolfo said she hopes to put more creative decorations and clothes on it to bring more joy to the town.
“We’re happy he’s popular,” she said. “We hope that we don’t have to relocate him because the property [584 Main St.] is up for sale. ‘Pot Man at Pontelandolfo’s Stump’ doesn’t make an impact as much as ‘Pot Man at Pontelandolfo’s Point.'”
