There’s something different about summer in the mountains. Maybe it’s the cooler mornings, the winding back roads, or afternoons spent wandering through downtown shops instead of rushing from one errand to the next. However you spend your days, summer is the perfect reminder to slow down, explore your community, and support the local businesses that help make these mountain towns feel like home.

More Than a Souvenir: Why Shopping Local Makes a Difference

Summer in the mountains brings visitors searching for meaningful experiences, not just things to bring home. We believe that the best souvenirs carry a story. The maker who created them, the place they came from, and the memories connected to them.

At Axe & Awl Leatherworks you will not only discover a good homegrown story, you will also find yourself connecting with local people, places and events.

Summer Feels Different in the Mountains

The feeling of summer in a mountain town is different than other places you may have visited. Slower mornings, cooler evenings, scenic drives, local events, farmers markets, and downtowns where every shop has its own personality.

Connection, relaxation and authentic experiences are just a few of the feeling you can expect when visiting the mountains. It’s not just about the views that make the area unique. It’s also the people, places and traditions that create a memorable summer.

Every Purchase Tells a Story

A locally made piece isn’t just something purchased, it represents a person, a process, and a place. Our handmade leather goods carry the story of the makers behind them. Whether its a North Carolina shaped key chain, a branded decal or an Ivy the shop cat t-shirt, you will remember the feeling of summer in the mountains.

Souvenirs don’t always need to be the mass produced magnet or shot glass. They can be handcrafted items made by the very people that make up the small town that hosted you. These items also make for great conversation starters and create opportunities to share your summer memories.

Supporting Small Businesses Strengthens Our Community

There’s an even bigger impact when choosing local for your shopping. Every dollar spent at a small business helps support the people who live and work in the community. With so many local businesses closing their doors after Hurricane Helenes’ impact, it is more important now to make sure support is received.

Local businesses help create the character and identity of small mountain towns, where else will you find an Axe & Awl Leatherworks, Soul Sisters Depot or Roll Up Herbal Bar?

Shopping local supports makers, employees, suppliers, and other nearby businesses. When visitors invest in small businesses, they help preserve the creativity and craftsmanship that make destinations special. Especially small towns like Waynesville!

Make Shopping Part of the Adventure

Shopping local businesses doesn’t have to feel like a task that gets checked off the list of things to do, but rather an experience and opportunity to learn more about what makes the community so special.

We encourage you to wander downtown streets and discover things you won’t find anywhere else.Talk with artists and business owners; the stories behind the products are part of the experience.

Remember…the best souvenirs aren’t just reminders of where you went; they remind you how you felt while you were there.

When you visit the mountains, don’t just take home a souvenir, take home a story. Explore handmade goods created by local makers and find something meaningful to remind you of your time here.

Stop by Axe & Awl Leatherworks to explore handcrafted leather goods, small-batch essentials and gifts made with care right here in the mountains.