Castle Tapestry
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 received enthusiastically and continued selling them until he left after 10 years.

After leaving Hearst Castle Ron opened a shop in the Village of San Simeon where, for four years he continued to sell 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, and more. More space was needed and, after less than a year, a much larger shop was secured.

Then came the Internet! In August of 1996, the first (Her) Castle Tapestry web page was created. The rest is history. That first page has little resemblance to what you see now! 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. He can help you with the colors, sizes, and themes of tapestries that will coordinate with your decor. His wife, Gert, does excellent custom sewing when it is called for.

Since 2000, Ron has been increasingly more involved with "custom" designed one-of-a-kind tapestries, using the client's art work/ideas as a starting point. He has created dozens of tapestries in a variety of themes and sizes. To find out more about this custom work, go to http://castletapestry.com/1custom

Whether you need a small accent piece or one to cover a whole wall, come to

Castle Tapestry

I thought it might be helpful for you to know who is at the other end of this page. It's not great but it is all I have to work with.

RON