NEWS

Knotty & Board owners – Davidson residents Kim Hankins and Michael Fournier. They were joined by their puppy Kabi.

Kim Hankins and Michael Fournier, Davidson residents, came up with a wild idea: Let’s open a furniture store during a pandemic! When I asked Kim and Michael how they had the courage to undertake such a venture during that dark time in retail, Kim replied, “We had nothing to lose!” Michael, who was in sales, had been laid off during the pandemic and had started refinishing furniture. About that same time, they were helping their children furnish their start-up apartments, but they had trouble finding a furniture store in Davidson. “We wanted to offer a middle price point store,” Michael said.

Inside Knotty & Board at their current location.

Michael and Kim could not find a location in Davidson for their store, but they did find space just over the line on S. Main Street in Cornelius. Knotty & Board opened its doors there in November of 2020. Kim, whose career is in mortgage lending, is a visionary who has always enjoyed shopping, so being the buyer for the store seemed natural to her. Michael, a retired Navy captain, manages sales and operations.

Although they have enjoyed success in their rented Cornelius location – they’ve enlarged the store three times – they want the stability of owning their own building, and early this year they found it at 265 S. Main Street in Davidson on the corner of Main and Walnut. The building, which is a house built over 100 years ago, lends itself well to showcasing décor, furniture, and gifts. Perhaps best of all, they will have an enlarged space for their custom and design services, including custom furniture, wallpaper, and rugs.

Davidson residents can welcome Knotty & Board at their Grand Opening in September.

In the mean time, we’ll be back in a week or two with more details about their renovation efforts going on in advance of grand opening in Davidson.