Asheville Hardware

[Pompeio]

Does anyone know if Asheville Hardware is still in business? I know the brick and mortar store has been closed due to COVID but it was my understanding they were still doing online sales. I tried their website this evening and got a message that the website has expired.

 

[Hmerkle]

OH NO!
I hope they are still in business, but I don't have any first-hand information.

 

[Claus]

My son lives in the neighborhood and has been a customer. He’s noticed that the windows are taped up and the store looks empty through the gaps. Looks like bad news.

—Claus

 

[Wiley's Woodworks]

I will confirm Asheville Hardware is out of business, retail store and online. Best replacement is Klingspors. Don't know where to recommend for speciality wood. FYI Gennett no longer sells speciality lumber to retail customers--us.

 

[Pop Golden]

That's a big loss. They had a great selection of used tools.

Pop

 

[FrankK]

Last time I was at Gennett's, they complained that Catawba Hardwoods had taken their commercial business away and the small retail customer wasn't worth their while.

 

[Hmerkle]

I will confirm Asheville Hardware is out of business, retail store and online. Best replacement is Klingspors. Don't know where to recommend for speciality wood. FYI Gennett no longer sells speciality lumber to retail customers--us.

For specialty wood, I suggest West Penn Hardwoods: Exotic Hardwoods | Domestic Hardwoods | West Penn (one of our advertisers and pretty good people too!) they were doing mail order when mail order wasn't cool! ha ha) BUT, if you can get out to Conover you WILL enjoy the experience!

 

[WoodWrangler]

This is crummy news. Loved visiting Asheville, and always making a run to the store for a special purchase.

 

[junquecol]

Big bummer for me, as I lent them some parts to get a customers saw up and running. Guess this means I'm on the hook to find replacemnt parts for the ones I lent them, which they were going to replace when available. Means I get to buy these parts twice. Unfortunately these are "obsolete parts" which means I'm going to pay thru the noise for replacement ones. One part, I will have to have made in a machine shop. OUCH!

 

[Pompeio]

I feel your pain. My wife purchased $150 in gift cards for me for Christmas from them. Called Visa and was told I have to deal with the store. No store so I am out of luck.

 

[Hmerkle]

I called to see if they had a message on the answering machine, but the message stated they are currently not working normal hours, but the voice mailbox was full!
when I clicked on the website it said "Website expired"!

So, just another shocking confirmation...unfortunately...

 

[McRabbet]

With Asheville Hardware and Gennett Lumber both out of business, yesterday I spoke to Ed Vendeley, manager of the Klingspor's Woodworking Shop in Fletcher, about the loss of these local sources -- Klingspor's is working hard to increase their selection and volume of lumber at very fair prices for their customers. I've purchased from then several times and they are conveniently located for me. When the pandemic situation improves so we can resume our monthly meetings, this is the place the Western NC Woodworkers Association goes on the 2nd Saturday of the month.

 

[Stickly]

Asheville area people that miss Gennet and Asheville Hardware:

What should a good replacement for those vendors look like? What kind of wood are you looking for? What other goods drew you to those locations?

 

[Hmerkle]

Asheville area people that miss Gennet and Asheville Hardware:

What should a good replacement for those vendors look like? What kind of wood are you looking for? What other goods drew you to those locations?

I say it is partly the location. There was something heartwarming buying stuff in that lcation.
Also, the selection, like one of the Klingspor locations, there is wood, old tools, new tools, knowledgeable sales people - they have everything!

 

[Stickly]

I say it is partly the location. There was something heartwarming buying stuff in that lcation.
Also, the selection, like one of the Klingspor locations, there is wood, old tools, new tools, knowledgeable sales people - they have everything!

Yea, the location was pretty good. I would always time it at around lunch time so I would be *forced* to get BBQ at Buxton Hall for lunch lol.

I honestly never loved the store though. Too much focus/ SF spent on slabby, live-edge wood. I did like the Festool department and looking at used tools but I never actually purchased anything.

I think my perfect store would be focused on S3S domestic hardwoods with some hard to find exotics, a great tool department with nice stuff (Festool, Mafell, Lamello), good plywood, and expendables. Good staff, good experience, etc...

 

[Hmerkle]

Yea, the location was pretty good. I would always time it at around lunch time so I would be *forced* to get BBQ at Buxton Hall for lunch lol.

I honestly never loved the store though. Too much focus/ SF spent on slabby, live-edge wood. I did like the Festool department and looking at used tools but I never actually purchased anything.

I think my perfect store would be focused on S3S domestic hardwoods with some hard to find exotics, a great tool department with nice stuff (Festool, Mafell, Lamello), good plywood, and expendables. Good staff, good experience, etc...

The staff is the problem, the make-up of the store depends on the trends ((Festool, Mafell, Lamello) are fine items to have in the store, but the margin is crap. So you have to have things that make money ( finishes, other expendable items) that give you turn-over.

Retail sucks!

 

[Hmerkle]

I am curious to see if they try to do a "fire-sale" or if it goes to auction / bankruptcy...

 

[FrankK]

Gennett Lumber has relocated to Fletcher and repurposed themselves into a flooring store.

 

[FrankK]

Sunrise Sawmill and Bee Tree Hardwoods are two good places to buy wood.

 

[ncfromnc]

The staff is the problem, the make-up of the store depends on the trends ((Festool, Mafell, Lamello) are fine items to have in the store, but the margin is crap. So you have to have things that make money ( finishes, other expendable items) that give you turn-over.

Retail sucks!

I was a very frequent customer of Asheville Hardware. I am a full time furniture maker/artist in the Asheville area. I knew 2 of the employees as friends outside of AH. I can assure you that the employess were not the problem in this case. I visited on a weekly basis because their inventory turned over quickly. I was always amazed at how much lumber, tools and extras turned over in that place. It was very popular. So when you say the "staff" was the problem, I can assure you they were not. They had worked for months without pay and had to get a lawyer (a little over a year ago).
They did not close over Covid, they did not close because of their employees. This was mismanagement from the top. THe owner took them down because of human weakness.