When a couple stopped in Bob and Gail Moyer’s upholstery shop back and complimented their work, the Moyers did not know they would eventually open a furniture store called Watauga Creek. The breadth and quality of their products sparked an interest in the customers, leading the four to get together and decide to create a store. Although their original business partners are no longer involved, the Moyers have continued building individuality into their hand-crafted furniture business for more than 20 years.
Before Watauga Creek opened, the Moyers owned Franklin Custom Furniture for 20 years.
“We built furniture and actually had a patent on our furniture, which is pretty rare. We also did mail order, sending furniture all over the country,” Bob Moyer explained.
They continued the custom furniture building even after they opened Watauga Creek.
“Our first Watauga Creek customer, before we even opened, turned out to be a Dutch greenhouse owner. He bought an entire container-load of furniture that we shipped back to the Netherlands, and shortly after that we shipped a house full of furniture that a Belgian businessman had ordered,” said Moyer.
What makes Watauga Creek’s furniture different?
“When we started,” Moyer began, “It was all western furniture. We’ve shifted in the last few years to a more rustic lodge look.”
Watauga Creek furniture can be seen in many cabins around Western North Carolina, Tennessee, and Northern Georgia.
“Most of our customers are second homeowners who have dealt with us for years and years,” Moyer stated.
“And they come back continually. They’ll even say they wished they had known about us before they bought all their furniture from someone else,” Store Manager Julie Curtis elaborated.
Watauga Creek’s prices are competitive, and they work with their customers, offering discounts if they purchase over a certain amount.
Claim to fame
Watauga Creek is no stranger to fame. Advertised in many magazines like “Cowboys and Indians” and “Log Home Living,” Watauga Creek was even featured on the Home and Garden Television Network.
The store has also attracted the attention of celebrities. “Race car driver Richard Petty and his wife bought a lot of furniture for a cabin out west and another race car driver, Ryan Newman, and his wife purchased a large houseful of furniture,” declared Moyer.
“George Strait ordered a ranger sofa,” added Curtis.
Watauga Creek furnishings have appeared numerous times in the backgrounds of shows and movies.
“Roy Rogers would sign the lampshades of our signature lamps, which were sold at the Roy Rogers Museum in Victorville, Calif. My wife Gail was actually able to make a few lamps with Roy Rogers’ real boots, which she made specifically for his son, Roy Rogers Jr., who also bought custom furniture from us,” explained Moyer.
Although Watauga Creek itself no longer manufactures much furniture, the store works with a wide variety of local craftsmen who build the pieces for sale in the store.
“What seems to be most desirable changes all the time, but it seems like live edge tables, river tables, maple, walnut, buckeye, and burl wood tables are [all] very popular right now,” said Moyer.
The store is only open three days a week — Monday, Wednesday, and Friday — which actually creates more business for them.
“We changed our hours due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but it actually works better,” Curtis explained.
Looking towards retirement in the future, Moyer has been in search of someone to carry on the legacy of Watauga Creek.
“We hope to find somebody in the near future to take over the business, but we want to keep our operations running the same,” Moyer concluded.