Pursuing a passion for woodwork and making something out of nothing, Owner and Head Chair Man Alan Davis began hand-making beautiful, versatile, portable, chairs and tables just for friends and family in his basement. Soon, he saw a hole in the industry of made-to-last outdoor furniture that looks like it belongs, and has since built his small operation up to an international business, selling his products as far away as Japan and Taiwan.
Blue Ridge Chair Works hand-crafts a line of high-end, wooden camp furniture in the USA, from American wood. Founded in 2000, the boutique brand is based in the Blue Ridge Mountains of western North Carolina and maintains a commitment to great quality, sustainability and respect for the outdoors.
"We love our Outer Banks Chairs from Blue Ridge Chair Works because we can instantly tell these chairs are meant to last. After going through a chair every couple years, we are so happy to have stumbled upon this made in the USA furniture brand. High quality is important to us and we can't wait to use these year after year," says the Friedman family in Johns Creek.
Blue Ridge Chair Works now sells nine different seats and stools and six tables, including a couple of accessories made with the discards from his furniture production to minimize waste. In fact, any wood not used for up-cycled accessories is chipped for wood fiber to make paper and fuel for homes. Even the sawdust goes off to local horse stables! All in all, they are a proud made in the south business.
“I’ve always been a tinkering woodworker. I started out working on custom wooden kayak paddles. I’ve always been really fascinated with the industrial process.”
“I never wanted to be a great BIG company, I wanted to be a GREAT small company,” he says.
Although the company has grown, his dedication to the area is still strong, and all his tables and chairs are still 100% made and sewn in North Carolina (between Franklin and Asheville). His bestsellers include the Blue Ridge Chair—a white ash foldable chair ideal for over-landing and car camping—and the Carolina Snack Table—a beautiful, portable table perfect for anything from picnics on the beach to sangrias on the front porch.
