FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Hickory Furniture Mart Partners with Blue Ridge Craft Trails to Support Western NC Artists After Hurricane Helene
HICKORY, NC – November 5, 2025, The Blue Ridge National Heritage Area is pleased to announce an exciting new partnership with Hickory Furniture Mart for its annual Fall After Market Sale, taking place November 7–10, 2025. This collaboration, which marks the first time local Western North Carolina (WNC) artists located along the Blue Ridge Craft Trails have been featured during the Mart’s sale,
This new initiative has a vital purpose: to directly support WNC artists whose livelihoods and studios were impacted by Hurricane Helene earlier this year.
Eleven artisans and furniture makers located along the Blue Ridge Craft Trails (BRCT) will be present and selling their handcrafted works of art on Friday and Saturday of the sale. The sale itself is a significant commercial opportunity for support outside the BRCT’s usual regional market.
The artists will be on site from Friday, November 7, and Saturday, November 8, including: Carolina Farm Table, Catawba Artisan, Crafted Glory, Crossnore Weavers, Dacey Porcelains, Kelsey Schissel Ceramics, Markey & Sons Woodcraft & Carving, Mike McKinney Woodturning, Nathan and Mariella Favors Woodturning, Pure Ritual, and Susan Roath Stained Glass. Wood carving and fabric weaving demonstrations will take place on both Friday and Saturday at 11:00 a.m. (woodcarving) and 2:00 p.m. (weaving).
Additionally, Mart customers visiting the sale will be able to sign up for a $1,500 gift certificate to use towards a custom item(s) from a participating artisan or furniture maker of their choice.
To round out the experience, Barte Laney (traditional fiddler and multi-instrumentalist) and Dale Meyer (guitar player) will perform some traditional Appalachian music for event attendees.
While Hickory Furniture Mart is located slightly east of the heritage area’s official boundary, many of their customers live within it, and this opportunity introduces the authentic, high-quality craftsmanship of WNC to a wider audience, including regional and international travelers and shoppers visiting the area for the Mart’s largest sale event.
This exposure aims to build new customer bases and drive traffic back to the communities and studios along the BRCT, providing long-term economic support.
”We are thrilled to partner with BRNHA and their artisans and furniture makers on this joint project,” stated Tracey Trimble, Executive Vice President & General Manager of the Mart. “We are all part of the same community of WNC craftsmen that makes Western North Carolina such a tremendous place to visit and support, especially in a time when it is needed most. This gives us all the opportunity to share just a snapshot of all the talent and artistry that exists within their 25 counties and the Qualla Boundary.”
About the Hickory Furniture Mart: Hickory Furniture Mart is a leading destination for home furnishings and interior design, featuring an unparalleled collection of furniture showrooms, outlets, and factory stores in Hickory, North Carolina. The state has a strong furniture-making history, and the Mart reflects that in the pieces it carries, many of which were designed and created specifically in the Greater Hickory Metro Region by multigenerational furniture craftsmen who have handcrafted some of the finest furniture around the world.
About the Blue Ridge National Heritage Area: The Blue Ridge National Heritage Area works to protect and promote the natural and cultural resources of Western North Carolina. The Blue Ridge Craft Trails is an initiative program created by the heritage area to promote economic development and showcase the region’s rich craft heritage, curating over 340 artists, studios, galleries, and organizations across 25 WNC counties and the Qualla Boundary.
Media Contact:
Blue Ridge National Heritage Area
Bridget Herbig, Communications Manager
bridget@blueridgeheritage.com
828-818-5334
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