by Case goods manufacturer will occupy 2,000-square-foot space at 311 N. Hamilton St.
BERKELEY SPRINGS, W.Va. — High-end, solid wood case goods manufacturer Gat Creek is returning to the High Point Market this spring for the first time in four years.
It will occupy a 2,000-square-foot space on the second floor at 311 N. Hamilton St., in a building owned by the MT Co., a domestic producer of high-end upholstery. The MT Co. shows in the same building, and while the showrooms are separate, Gat Creek said the lines complement one another, “offering buyers a potent and efficient one-stop destination.”
“We share a lot of similarities,” said George Jordan, president of the MT Co. “Gat and I have been friends for a long time and have the same philosophy about quality and taking the long-term view. Also, we’re a family-owned, 40-plus-year-old, flexible, agile, mid-sized company with a lot of custom capabilities. We don’t compete so it makes sense to partner in a space where we can gain more exposure for both companies.”
Gat Creek CEO Gat Caperton agreed that the move to the MT Co. building is a way for the two companies to partner once again.
“Our connection with George’s company goes back to when we were both Joe Ruggiero licensees,” Caperton said. “They made the upholstery and we made the case goods. We did some cross-promoting back in those days so this feels like a familiar fit. It gives each of us an opportunity to share our similar stories with a wider audience of dealers and designers.”
Gat Creek previously showed in a 1,500-square-foot space on the 10th floor of the Design Wing of the International Home Furnishings Center. Caperton said there were a few main reasons the company left the market in the spring of 2020.
“With Covid, we couldn’t have a functional market,” he said. “At the same time, our lease came up and, like many manufacturers during the post-pandemic bubble, orders expanded dramatically. We didn’t have capacity to sell anything or anyone new.”
Today, Caperton is pleased at the opportunity to return to High Point, where the company has had a long history of showing its domestically made case goods line.
Its return to High Point also coincides with its recent completion of a factory expansion in Berkeley Springs, West Virginia, that has doubled the plant’s capacity. Since spring 2020, the company also has launched a custom table and upholstered dining chair program and added new finishes to its line.
“So, we’re very excited to return and share our story with existing customers, meet new ones and have a very fruitful April,” Caperton said. “We’re fortunate to have found the perfect space.”
