In 1959, Ben Owen established his own pottery called the Old Plank Road Pottery beside his home in Westmoore that is 7 miles from Seagrove, NC. He continued the “new” tradition of making shapes and colors inspired from research encouraged by the Busbees early on at Jugtown. Some glazes that were used at Jugtown like Chinese Blue had not been made after the death of Jacques Busbee in 1948. Juliana requested that the glaze would not be produced after his death. From different accounts and research, the recipe for the glaze was lost. When Ben Owen began working on his own, he began recreating this glaze in his own experimentation. The results were similar but with it's own style. During the first year of operation, all work was stamped Pottery by Ben Owen. In 1960 a round stamp, Ben Owen Master Potter, was made for Ben Owen to mark his work made at the Plank Road Pottery. A Master Potter recognition was given to him in 1928 during the Dogwood Festival for best of show with a White Dogwood Vase that was entered into the craft exhibit.

The Old Plank Road Pottery continued to operate with son, Ben Jr. making some pots and assisting with the glazing and firing of the groundhog kiln. A talented potter, Farrell Craven, who descended from the first pottery family to settle in the area, was hired to make some of the functional items for the pottery in the late 1960’s. Over time, Ben Sr. was not able to make as many pots as he could due to rheumatoid arthritis. Ben Owen Sr. retired from making pots in 1972 due to these complications with his health. Farrell Craven passed away in the same year. Unfortunately, the hands which had magically brought life to thousands of beautiful clay creations had to rest.