The Artifactory began both by accident, and intention. In the late 1970′s, I started salvaging old barns for the lumber, and over the years built
The Woods Company into a respected manufacturer of reclaimed wood flooring. Traveling the east coast buying lumber from old industrial sites being demolished, I’ve seen first hand how the country is losing it’s industrial heritage, one building at a time.
I’ve watched some great American industries – textiles and furniture especially – get off-shored to Asia, leaving empty factories to be abandoned and demolished, and the communities they supported hollowed out. Industrial artifacts, and the history they embody, are mostly headed to the scrapyard. Recognizing a timely opportunity, and having huge warehouses to stash this stuff in, I started collecting vintage woodworking machines, cast iron bases, foundry patterns, architectural hardware, found objects – just about anything that I could save from these old dying factories.
Today, turning these cool things into unique furnishings for residential and commercial use is what the Artifactory is all about. We opened The Gallery in a 5,000 square foot area of The Woods Company’s facility, just outside our wood flooring showroom. We’re displaying an eclectic mix of furniture, vintage machines, sculptural items and uncommon objects, in the ‘vintage industrial’ style.
The Artifactory is a unique source for designers of restaurants, corporate and residential interiors, and retail stores.
Call us – stop in for a tour! You’ll find plenty of inspirational ideas and objects.
Thanks,
Barry Stup
