Put-In Creek Carvings opened for business June 15 on Main Street in Mathews.

Owner Ben Richardson said he has nicknamed the business "Frenchy’s" as a tribute to the late Clayton French, who once ran a pool room elsewhere on Main Street which Richardson began frequenting as a teenager. There’s a good reason for the nickname, Richardson said, as he has acquired one of the pool tables from French’s former business and now offers the public an opportunity to stop in his art gallery to shoot pool and to throw darts. He plans to hold tournaments as well.

Richardson leases the building which formerly housed the Mathews Art Group until it closed its gallery at the end of May. He said everyone is welcome to stop in to browse and shop, and said he hopes Frenchy’s will become "a man cave" where local men can come and hang out informally, enjoy pool and darts, and be surrounded by high-quality art.

Richardson sells some of his own woodworks in the shop, especially w...