Andrea Rhoten
Holston Mountain Artisans and Antiques in Abingdon, Virginia, has found a new home at 280 West Main Street, in the heart of Abingdon’s commercial district. From their origins at the Cave House on East Main Street, to the last decade on Park Street, the new home for Holston Mountain Artisans has room for artisan studios, antique dealers and classes, as well as an expanded sales area.
The store has grown from 1,500 square feet to 3,000 square feet and added antiques according to Andrea Rhoten, director, Holston Mountain Artisans and Antiques.
They moved from their old location to increase their visibility and get more space. “We had a decline in sales and foot traffic, so we decided to take a leap of faith. One of our board members was a frequent visitor here when it was Wolf Hills Antiques. They told our board member they were going to be retiring at the end of the year. So, we came and looked at it and decided to take that leap of faith.
“The new location is going great. Our foot traffic has tripled, and our sales have gone up. We just juried in 23 new artists, which brings us to 115 artisans. We also have a designated space for meetings and classes and plan to offer more classes,” Rhoten says.
There are two antique vendors in the store and more are welcome. Founded in 1971. Holston Mountain Artisans is one of the oldest continually operating artisans’ co-ops in the country. It is a non-profit, member-owned cooperative of more than 115 members, primarily from Southwest Virginia and Eastern Tennessee. Their mission is to support artisans who need a marketplace for their handcrafted work and to provide educational opportunities that help preserve the region’s rich creative heritage.
This issue provides portraits of some of the artisans who are members of the co-op and their varied and unique work that can be purchased at their new home.
