Offering Magnificent Tapestries Since 1988- Toll Free Order/Consultation line 800-350-3850
Ron Whaley's Castle Tapestry
Castle Tapestry came into existence in 1988 as a culmination of almost 15 years of exposure to and sales of tapestries at the magnificent Hearst
Castle as well as another retail store in San Simeon, California. Castle Tapestry (formerly Her Castle Tapestry) was one of the first "tapestry only" shops in the country and one of the first to display a web site.
Ron's passion for tapestries began, of course, with the magnificent collection of William Randolph Hearst. The beauty and craftsmanship of those tapestries was wonderful. Managing the gift shop concession there for 10 years encouraged Ron to seek small tapestries as souvenirs for the visitors. Ron found that they were enthusiastically received and he continued selling them for the next 10 years.
After leaving Hearst Castle Ron, opened a shop in the village of San Simeon where, for four years he sold a much larger variety of tapestries than he was able to at Hearst Castle. Many more tapestries were becoming available.
Ron saw that there was such a demand for tapestries of all kinds, not just the "souvenir" size. In 1988 he opened the first-of-its-kind "tapestry only" shop. Although small, the shop featured not only a large variety of wall hangings but pillows, bell pulls, table cloths, consignement itmes and much more. After less than a year, more space was needed and a much larger shop was secured in the Village of Arroyo Grande, California. The business flourished and expanded and included tapestry fabric and upholstering.
Then came the Internet! In August of 1996, the first (Her) Castle Tapestry web page was created. The rest is history. That first web page has little resemblance to what you see now! It was just one page - there are now about 1500! The dividing bar you see below is the only element still in use.
Now, after more than 25 years with Ron's "hands on" experience, he has the knowledge and expertise to assist you with your tapestry selection or creation. He can help you with the colors, sizes, and themes of tapestries that will coordinate with your decor.
Although Ron still still offers a broad range of traditional tapestries, since 2000, he has been increasingly more involved with "custom" designed one-of-a-kind tapestries. Using his client's art work/ideas as a starting point, Ron has created dozens of tapestries in a variety of themes, most notably coats-of-arms. To find out more about this custom work, go to http://castletapestry.com/1custom
Just recently, Ron re-located Castle Tapestry to the Kansas City, Kansas, area. He plans to continue doing business "as usual." The only thing that has changed is the address - phone numbers and email address are the same!
Whether you need a small accent piece or one to cover a whole wall, come to Castle Tapestry!
Ron and his staff look forward to helping you with your tapestry!
