Mark Lynn Ferguson grew up in the shadows of the Blue Ridge, and no matter how far he roamed, the mountains had a way of calling him home. After years of writing about Appalachia through his blog The Revivalist: Word from the Appalachian South, Ferguson decided it was time to return to Star City and celebrate the region he loves.
The result is Woodshed, a downtown Roanoke shop dedicated to showcasing the area’s makers, artists, and craftspeople. “It’s rooted in Appalachian tradition, but the crafts that we sell are funky and innovative and fresh and funny,” says Ferguson. From artisanal food and drink to clothing and housewares, every piece on the shelves reflects that spirit—familiar, but entirely its own.
“We want to help craftspeople turn their crafts into livelihoods,” he says, and that’s exactly what Woodshed has done. Products come from nearly 200 crafters across the entire Appalachian region.
Woodshed has since grown into something bigger, and Ferguson has rebranded it as Woodshed: Appalachian Crafts+Coffee to match its expansion. The menu features a serious coffee service and upscale “hillbilly food”—think chow chow melt, trout toast, and sorghum chicken biscuits. Visitors can now enjoy the essence of Appalachia, chock-full of creativity and down-home deliciousness. Woodshed.Life.
This article originally appeared in the August 2026 issue.
