Small Business Series: How a name celebrates humble beginnings

When Natalie Bork Knight, a Charlotte Country Day School teacher, signed up for a stained glass class at Shed Brand Studio in 2004, she changed the direction of her life.

Shaylor Knight, the instructor of the class, said, “She was hot for the teacher.”

Now married with two children, Natalie, 41, and Shaylor, 45, own Shed Brand Studio together, specializing in custom stained glass and doors.

Shaylor is a third-generation owner of Shed Brand Studio. In 1969, his grandfather and father started their small business in their sheep shed doing small wood projects and making pottery, stained glass and candles.

In 1972, the studio moved to Morehead Street, using the name “Shed Brand” to remember their humble beginnings. The studio moved to their South End location in 1988.

Natalie and Shaylor took over the business four years ago. Shed Brand Studio offers stained glass for doors, windows, sky lights, signs, transoms and interior walls. Everything is made by hand at their studio.

They also specialize in custom designs and work closely with clients and designers to create a product that fits the needs of the project. They are also able and willing to work within a budget.

In addition to stained glass work, Shed Brand Studio carries stock doors and repurposes and creates custom doors. Natalie and Shaylor employ six staff that help with building, installations, glazing and glass cutting.

Natalie and Shaylor answer C5’s questions for the Small Business Series:

What’s prepared you to become an entrepreneur?

Natalie: “I sold artwork since I was in second grade. I did my first business transaction with one of our teachers in elementary school. He liked one of my paintings so he gave me a set of beautiful pens to do my paintings with. That prepared me on how to barter and how to sell my artwork.”

Shaylor: “I don’t think anything prepares you for entrepreneurship. Everything is changing constantly. You have to be able to think on your feet and move.”

How did you decide on the location of your business in South End?

Shaylor: “Basically, when we were on Morehead in ’88, you could literally hear gunfire about four or five o’clock in the afternoon. It got to the point where we were getting broken into three, four, five times a year.

“So we made a move to come here. This location was affordable. We had no idea that the neighborhood would progress in the way that it did.”

How do people react to your products?

Natalie: “A lot of our clients become attached to it emotionally. If they are moving, that piece comes with them.”

What is it like owning a business that has been around for more than 45 years?

Shaylor: “We have three generations of people coming in to buy products from us because their grandparents bought doors or glass from us. They remember my dad or my grandfather.”

How do you start your day?

Shaylor: “We generally like to get up and go wor kout. I lift weights.”

Natalie: “Our 13-year-old has me in this boot camp where I have to do all these crazy classes randomly every day.”

Shed Brand Studio: 216 Iverson Way, (704) 523-0096

Hours: 9 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Monday-Thursday; 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Friday; by appointment on Saturday; closed Sunday

Photos: Shed Brand Studio

Family history and my own fascination with people and their motivations prompted me to begin this series about Charlotte’s small business owners. Industry, situation and questions will vary. Have a suggestion for a small business owner or entrepreneur to interview? Email it to vanessainfanzon@gmail.com with the subject line “Small Business Series.”

This story was originally published June 22, 2017 at 10:00 PM with the headline "Small Business Series: How a name celebrates humble beginnings."