Old Fort’s Biggest Gallery/Café Celebrates Its Second Anniversary
By Byron Belzak

“I think the future is very bright,” said Dru Heldman, co-owner of The Appalachian Artisan Society (TAAS) Gallery, located on Main Street in downtown Old Fort, North Carolina. “We’re celebrating our second anniversary this June and have just opened the Catawba Vale Café next door, which includes even more artwork and fine crafts for customers to look at while they eat.”

Dru and his wife Beverly Peek Heldman are determined to put Old Fort, home of the Mountain Gateway Museum and Andrews Geyser, on the Asheville area map as an arts and crafts destination. Downtown Old Fort is located just one minute from I-40, five minutes from Black Mountain and 20 minutes from downtown Asheville.

“Sales continue to grow,” said Dru Heldman. “I believe that says something about the quality of our artists and artisans, the uniqueness of our gallery and café, and how hard we have worked to market locally crafted artwork in a retail environment and online.”

TAAS now features 70 Appalachian artists and artisans. The Heldmans agree that representing only local artists and artisans benefits both the handcrafter and the customer.

“There are always new works coming in and something new for even our repeat customers to see,” said Bev Heldman, who wears many hats as co-owner, café manager, and artisan. She handcrafts beaded jewelry, but is best known for her wrapped wire artworks featuring trees and rockscapes.

“We started TAAS Gallery because we wanted to take some of the burden off of local artisans so they could have more time to work on their craft,” said Bev. “We also wanted to have a place where people could truly find local art.”

OLD FORT PRIDE

TAAS Gallery takes great pride in the service it provides for the community and furthering the good name of Old Fort and Southern Appalachia.

“We are attentive to what our customers want, and we are well known for our top-notch customer service,” said Dru Heldman. “What makes us truly unique is that we have so much local art. All of our artists and handcrafters are from the Appalachian area. Customers see that everything is from this area, and that’s what they want.”

Dru enjoys making candles as well as marketing the gallery and café, while Bev demonstrates a deep appreciation and knowledge of Appalachian crafts.

She was born and raised in Old Fort, left for a number of years, then returned with her new husband in 1995. Dru and Bev are now raising a family and have created an original gallery of Appalachian handcrafts and art, along with a new café, that is quickly becoming a destination in its own right for McDowell County residents and guests alike.

“My paw-paw, Johnny Vess, was a master woodworker,” said Bev. “From my earliest memories, I would stand and watch him for hours create some of the most beautiful wooden pieces that I had ever seen. So the love of any craft or piece of art is deeply rooted in me. I have a great admiration for crafters.”   

And she wants to provide visitors and residents with locally made handcrafted items.

“Nothing irritates me more than to go on a trip somewhere and not be able to bring back something that was made from that area,” said Bev. “We have so many talented people in this area. I have customers that come in from all over the world and are so amazed at how unique our art is -- whether it’s fine art, pottery, woodworking, weaving or even our painted rocks. They are so pleased that there’s nothing from China at our store. We have something for everyone here, regardless of budget.”

Bev’s pride in her store and of Old Fort is contagious: “I love this town, and I see really good things for Old Fort. Sometimes people ask me why we opened here. I tell them it’s because I believe in what Old Fort is and could be again. I tell them to take time to learn the history of this place and its people. We have so much to be proud of.”

The roots and heritage of the Old Fort area are even featured in the names of the Catawba Vale Café’s sandwiches, which borrow from landmarks in Old Fort and McDowell County. In fact, Catawba Vale was the original name of the town until it was renamed Old Fort. The cafe is a WiFi hot spot that allows multi-tasking customers to eat while they compute online.

So now there’s good reason for the WNC traveler to visit Old Fort and find a tasty bit of local lure, Appalachian handcrafted art and fine crafts, and great deli-sandwiches all in one place: The Appalachian Artisan Society Gallery featuring the Catawba Vale Café.

IF YOU GO:
Who: The Appalachian Artisan Society Gallery with Catawba Vale Café
What: Art and Fine Craft Gallery next to a neighborhood cafe with specialty sandwiches
Where: 32 East Main St., Hwy. 70, Old Fort, North Carolina
When: Open Tues. through Sat., 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
TAAS Tel: (828) 668-1070; Café Tel: (828) 668-9899
Websites: www.taasg.com and www.catawbavale.com

Editor's Note: This article first appeared in print in the June 2008 issue of Rapid River Magazine, Western North Carolina's oldest and most widely read arts and culture publication.

Copyright 2008 MediaBear

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