About GRW

Green River Woods was founded by Matt Christie back in 2008.  Matt grew up in southern Vermont, near an exceptionally green river in the post and beam saltbox designed by his parents. His father was a Thoreau scholar who loved poetry and being in the woods. Matt worked as a carpenter in the summers from the age of 13. After studying literature and philosophy at Vassar college, traveling through Europe and central America and salmon fishing in Alaska, he landed in Asheville with his wife Stephanie, doing trim carpentry and custom cabinetry and working for various custom homebuilders and cabinet shops.

Matt’s family has roots in Asheville going back to 1870, when his great-great-great grandfather ran a hardware store in Pack Square called “Penniman Brothers & Co.” together with his two sons William and Charles Jr. They supplied nails and building materials to the Biltmore estate, early model cars and a million other useful, perhaps essential things. 

Great-great-grandfather W.T. Penniman was a member of the Asheville Library Club, manager of sales at “a wood yard in Biltmore,” and an original stockholder and Vice President of Asheville City Rail. His brother Charles owned Asheville Brick Works in Emma. There’s more, and much that’s been lost to time.

Matt’s great-grandfather came to Asheville for forestry school and stayed in the boarding house, “Forest Hills” in Kenilworth run by his great-great-grandmother, falling in love with her daughter Lucy.  Lucy Penniman grew up in Asheville during the beginning of the new century and was president of her class at Vassar before she could vote. She attended secret meetings in the graveyard at night for women’s suffrage and was the formidable, fun-loving matriarch of seven children.

Matt’s wife first came to Asheville in the 90’s, then lived and taught in Brevard before getting her masters in French teaching in Vermont and then hopping off the Appalachian trail to pursue a teaching career here, bringing Matt down with her. Two children born here keep them busy, speaking several languages and traveling whenever possible.

Green River Woods is now proudly a living wage certified employer. Through our furniture design and personal interactions with clients, tree owners, and lumber customers, I am grateful to support and be supported by a community of locally-rooted families, elders and artisans, arborists, sawyers, farmers, makers, beekeepers, and skilled tradespeople.



Matt Christie

Green River Woods, Inc. Est. 2008

Pennimans in Asheville, 1870-1934

Urban Tree Salvage

Ian Wade

Employee Extraordinaire

Billy Osborn

Sawyer

Billy Rice, sawyer

Pennimans in Riverside Cemetery

1882 Hardware Store Pack Square, Asheville

Forest Hill Inn

French Broad, 2013

Green River, Vermont

Lots of people are saying nice things about us

SLAB INVENTORY

SLAB INVENTORY

See our large inventory of kiln-dried and responsibly air-dried slabs–all salvaged and milled locally–for unique custom furniture inspiration.

Bee Good Wood Oil

Bee Good Wood Oil

Bee Good Wood Oil® is our own personal recipe, developed over decades of experiment and experience building and finishing end grain butcher blocks to last for generations. Made in small batches by hand without compromise since 2008

Bee Good Wood Butter

Bee Good Wood Butter

A penetrating oil/wax finish for any wood surface where a softer and more forgiving, durable food safe wax finish is desired, preserving natural wood feel.

Green River Woods, Inc.

Matt Christie

329 Emma Rd
Asheville, NC 28806

828-450-4535

greenriverwoods@gmail.com