National Hardwood Magazine - April 2024

H & T CHAIR CO. INC. Continued
The most popular chair manufactured is the adjustable #101
chair which can be used with or without leg rest. The newly designed
slat table is also made with White Oak and folds for easy
carrying.
Rick Todd, president of H & T Chair Co., enjoys creating durable
wooden beach chairs, deck chairs and more at his shop in Boone,
NC.
The deck chair is a popular choice for hunters and great for bringing
to outside sporting events. It’s both comfortable and easy to
carry.
saw was made in house. It has a 42 horse power electric
motor with a handle that we can set up for multiple
sizes. It’s not a single-line rip, it’s a multiple-blade gang
rip. It’s a phenomenal tool. After that we use a SCMI
planer, a XL Mold matcher; Swingarm cutoffs; DeWalt
arm saws and cutoff saws; and Porter cable drill presses.
We are making dimensional stock and then manufacturing
it into chairs.”
Todd said longevity is the reason only solid White Oak
is utilized in the manufacturing process. “We wanted a
product that would last in all of the outdoor elements,” he
said. “In the marine environment, think back to old ships
that were made out of White Oak, they would withstand
the hit of a cannonball. They could withstand the beating
of the waves against the helm. If it’s good enough
for the boat, it’ll certainly work for the chair. White Oak
doesn’t mind a harsh environment. It’s an amazing
wood. I have chairs in the concession market that are
literally over 40 years old and are still being used on
the big rush holidays. We use a spar varnish because
we hate to paint over the wood. The beauty of the grain
in the Oak shines through in our chairs. We use two
coats of marine spar varnish. The first coat goes on and
then we sand it and put another coat on. If the product
is for export we will use three coats because we know
that they’re going to have 340 days of sunshine on that
chair.”
Sister company Anywhere Chair Company, Inc., retails
and wholesales chairs and products for H & T Chair
Co. Anywhere Chair Company, Inc. was established by
Rick’s late wife, Mary Jane Todd as a way to provide
The varnished frames in the shop at H & T Chair are getting ready
to become versatile, folding chairs for beach concessions, hotels
and resorts worldwide.
resort style, commercial chairs, umbrellas and cabanas
to the public for individual use. The company has grown
from a tiny advertisement in the back pages of a well
established home and garden magazine to a popular
website with an established list of website vendors and
beach concessionaires. Rick and Mary Jane’s daughter,
Elizabeth Bandura, is now the owner and operator
of Anywhere Chair Company, Inc.
H & T Chair Co. and Anywhere Chair Company, Inc.
are committed to providing commercial grade beach
products to not only beach businesses but individuals
as well. The original H & T Chair beach chair and all
other chairs at H &T are manufactured in North Carolina.
Anywhere Chair offers five styles of the chair: the
original H & T Beach Chair with leg rest; Mini lounge
with leg rest, a full back reclining chair; Deck/Director
Chair perfect table height; Mini Sand Chair; and High
Chair perfect for lifeguards and bar height tables. “Our
entire line of chairs, together with additional items such
as the slat table, camp stool, and cabanas are 100 percent
manufactured in the USA,” Rick explained. “We
are deeply committed to providing American made
products wherever possible.” n
All of H & T Chair’s products are made from White Oak, which
is sturdy in marine environments. The company purchases
150,000+bf per year of Appalachian grade lumber.
The finished product is easy to fold and carry. About five years
ago, the company began making chairs an extra two inches wider
to accommodate all size customers.
For more information contact Rick Todd at 828-264-7442 or visit
Anywhere Chair Company, Inc. at www.anywherechair.com.
32 APRIL 2024 n NATIONAL HARDWOOD MAGAZINE www.RealAmericanHardwood.com/industry
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APRIL 2024 n NATIONAL HARDWOOD MAGAZINE 33