This Father’s Day weekend, we’re celebrating an exciting new addition at Mast General Store. The Knife Shop is re-energizing what was once a feed/potato-grading room in the Original Store. This upcoming weekend officially marks the Knife Shop Grand Opening in Valle Crucis, with three days of events that will surely delight the dads, as well as knife enthusiasts, in your life.

Since he started working with us 18 years ago at the tender age of 14, Seth has been a valued member of the Mast General Store family. Seth has also served as the Front Room Area Manager in the Original Store for a decade.

“Initially, we didn’t carry many knives in the Original Store, but we’ve increasingly added more over the years. The knife area slowly grew from one to four cases, and I’m very excited that they now have their own Shop. I believe that the Mast Store Knife Shop offers the greatest variety of knives in Watauga County. With this collection, anyone who visits will be able to find a piece that will fit his or her individual needs,” says Seth.

Ben, Mast’s outdoor hardgoods buyer, shares, “The Shop offers a knife for everyone: knives that are functional, collector’s items, value pieces, first knives, and heirlooms.  We have 500 different types of knives and 3,000 individual items. The collection is really impressive."

Below are a few noteworthy knife brands found in the new Knife Shop:

Helle Knives
“This is a user’s and collector’s piece. Helle knives are made in Norway and were originally made to skin elk and reindeer in Scandinavia,” says Ben.

Torodd Helle, the managing director of the company and the grandson of its founders, visited the Mast Store in Asheville in 2015 to share the rich history and tradition of these knives.

Helle says, “Each knife has a soul. Our craftsmen work to make the best knives, but there is always something else there.” Not only are these knives attractive, they are well balanced and well-suited for their task. “Helle knives are made to be used.”

To read more about the Helle Knife story and their visit to the Asheville Store, click HERE. Take a peek at the selection of Helle Knives we offer online HERE.

Hazen Knives
Mark Hazen has over 40 years in the knife-making business. Knives are Mark’s lifelong passion. He builds, sharpens, and polishes them all by hand in Monroe, NC. He also uses exotic hardwoods for the handles. The sportsmen’s line features tactical knives and the entire collection ranges in price from $90 to $340.

Case Knives
These knives are made in the USA and have been the pride of Pennsylvania for generations: “This is the brand that all our grandfather’s carried. It’s a collector’s item,” Ben praises.

You can read more about Case Knives in our Made in America feature HERE and a selection is available online HERE.

Kershaw Knives
“Specialty knives like machetes and bayonets by Kershaw are a big draw right now,” says Seth.

From Kershaw: “With [our knives], you get incredible bang for your hard-earned buck. Even our inexpensive models are impressive. In fact, everything about a Kershaw is solid, crafted, and reliable. That’s why we can back each of our knives with our famous Limited Lifetime Warranty. “ Check out our online selection HERE.

The Mast Store Knife Shop’s Official Grand Opening will occur in grand style this weekend. The Mast Leadership Team and the Boone Chamber of Commerce will kick off the celebratory weekend with a ribbon-cutting at the Original Store on Friday, June 17^t, at 3 p.m.

Local Boy and Girl Scout Troops can earn their knife safety badges by participating in a Knife Safety Workshop from 4 p.m. until 6 p.m. on Friday, June 17^th, and from 1 p.m. until 3 p.m. on Saturday, June 18^th.

Seth continues, “Be sure to let guests know if they purchase $100 or more in the Knife Shop on Friday, June 17^th, through Sunday, June 19^th, they’ll receive a free Kershaw knife. This is a $29.99 retail value and the deal will be offered while supplies last.”