Elderpreneur Crafts Heirlooms, Celebrates NC Pride

0:00It's May 1st. You're listening to Durham News today, AI-powered local news. Meet Judd Patterson, a 71-year-old elderpreneur from Smithfield, North Carolina. After decades in tech at IBM and Nortel Networks, he ditched the corporate grind for his own workshop, tucked away in the woods. There, he crafts personalized heirlooms like etched mugs, bleached-eye t-shirts, soaps, ornaments and blankets, all built to last, not toss. His pivot started back in 2001 when a layoff freed him up, tinkering lead to the beer hopper, a patented heart-shaped glass he etches by hand, that sparked a business celebrating local vibes, turning North Carolina icons into everyday treasures people hold onto. Folks love how his pieces stir up nostalgia, think mugs with old Smithfield businesses or coasters from his heart's-feel memories. He teams up with local artists, sources soaps from Raleigh, and wheezing music knives from his old misdays, like shirts saying Carolina in my mind.

1:00Right now, he's gearing up for America's 250th birthday with a limited run of up to 5,000 porcelain ornaments shaped like the US, each stamped with the flag and a numbered certificate, no more after that. From that dirt road hideout, Patterson proves it's never too late to chase what lights you up, keeping North Carolina pride alive, one custom creation, at a time. Take a stuff at JutsDesigns.com