Rustick’s Annual Year-End Sale

Written By: Deena Bouknight | Issue: November - 2022

Celebrating their 30th business anniversary, Rusticks of Cashiers, has provided furnishings and design services to many of the families calling these Western North Carolina mountains home.  

Multiple generations of shoppers now look forward to the “famous” annual after-Thanksgiving Sale. It’s the only storewide sale event of the year and some merchandise is up to 60 percent off.  Store Manager and Interior Designer Stacie Platt said, “It’s Cashiers’ version of Black Friday shopping with customers lined up for the 10:30 A.M. opening. Friday and Saturday are crazy, hectic days, but our customers have fun, find great bargains, and it allows us to prepare for next season’s inventory.” 

When original owners Ann and Rody Sherrill moved to Cashiers from Lookout Mountain, Tennessee. 30 years ago, they initially sold handcrafted hickory and cane furniture. From that “look” came the name Rusticks. While the store still offers an exclusive line of third-generation, handmade hickory and cane furniture, over the years Ann Sherrill added her own designer flair to perfect the elegant modern mountain décor for which Rusticks is now known.  

When Don Gottwald purchased Rusticks two years ago, he knew it was important to keep previous owners Ann and Rody Sherrill engaged at Rusticks to make sure there was continuity in both style and feel. And then, it was serendipitous that Platt could rejoin the business after a few years away. Said Platt, “Ann hasn’t completely retired and frequently spends time in Rusticks to make sure the display still has a personal touch.” 

While Platt brings her own unique style to interior design and buying inventory for the store, Ann’s influence from their years of working together remains evident. 

Rusticks has exclusive products from Wesley Hall and Lee Industries for upholstered furniture. The store has long-time relationships with lighting vendors like Visual Comfort, Uttermost, and Gabby. They also sell a large volume of outdoor furnishings from Southern Home. Platt trusts her relationships with product representatives and learns from them about trends on a larger scale. “We also seek to offer a wide range of price points – from lesser expensive to high end – but always with an eye towards quality and goods that are built to last,” says Platt. “We love it when customers return to replace a sofa, they bought 25 years ago or ask us to re-cane a chair that’s been well used by generations of their family” said Platt.  “But, every year we freshen our inventory with new trends in furnishings, lighting, and accessories that are in keeping with our unique style,” she added.  

Rusticks remains a seasonal business closing after the post-Thanksgiving sale. While the retail showroom isn’t open, plenty of work continues. Platt said her team soon be headed to the International Home Furnishings Market in High Point and later will attend the Gift, Home & Rug Market in Atlanta to order new merchandise that will arrive in time for the April 2023 opening. Since 50 percent of Rustick’s business is personal design services, Platt remains busy over the winter. “Our customers are welcome to contact us during the off-season for interior design consultations,” she added. 

To learn more about the after-Thanksgiving storewide sale or design services, visit the Rusticks’ website, leave a message on the store phone at (828) 743-3172, or email Platt at [email protected].