I’m a wood worker. I’ve always been a wood worker. From the time I was 5 years old, I would build forts, furniture and all sorts of things from trees in my back yard. In my teens I trained to be a carpenter and spent the next 20 years wiping saw dust from my eyes. In 2009, like so many others, I was laid off. Instead of seeing it as a negative, I turned it into a positive. I decided to take my passion for wood working and make it a business. After receiving a GATE scholarship (Growing America Through Entrepreneurship), I enrolled in the NC REAL program at Isothermal Community College, graduating in 2010. Carroll Woodcrafts Unlimited was started that same year.
Not much has changed. I still build things from trees in my backyard – and your neighbors’ backyards too. The majority of my creations are made from local Polk County, NC trees. Just like each tree, each piece has a story.
My studio and work shop are located on my property in Tryon, NC and I love to share what I do with anyone that’s interested.
On a more personal note, my finest custom work can be seen in the form of my two teenage sons, Jacob & Zakk. I’m training both of them to one day take over my business and I’ll ride off on my Harley, spending all their inheritance on cheap beer and expensive women (or vice versa) ; )
Chris Carroll is the owner of Carroll Woodcrafts Unlimited in Tryon, NC. After 20 years of building custom homes, he began focusing on fine woodworking and specialty wood sales. In 2011, he was chosen as the NC spokesman for the Growing American Through Entrepreneurship program. He currently teaches wood working classes at the Tryon Arts and Crafts Center. 