The roots of the company can be found in Oates' entrepreneurial spirit. He and his brother used to farm the Mountain areas of Bat cave in Western North Carolina. They would also help their mother find materials for her crafts. The sons began to make wooden whistles, buckets and bird-houses. They would sell their wares along with her crafts to the people from Charlotte that came through in their horse-drawn buggies on the way to the mountains. Later, Thomas worked at the Ashville postcard company. When the depression hit, he lost his job, but it inspired him to go into business and sell crafts, like cornhusk dolls and woven pieces, that were produced by the local women.