It grew rapidly over the next couple years into a full-time operation that offers a wide variety of unique metal pieces supplied by more than 70 individual artists, blacksmiths, manufacturers, and importers. To maintain high levels of quality, the main lines of items are hand-forged and crafted by blacksmith shops throughout the United States and Europe.
Kirves deals directly with artists and manufacturers from her Clermont headquarters, with a staff of three to oversee web business and three others to manage shipping and receiving. Iron Accents also offers design services by Terri Williams, and the unusual business – an artisanal mainstay for local designers and decorators — has been featured in magazines such as 400 Edition, Mountain Laurel, and Sassy Trash.
Kirves had a loan on the commercial property but sought to transfer her business to a different bank; her bank had been reluctant to renew the loan because of a shortfall of collateral caused by diminished property values in the recent recession – a circumstance beyond her control. With help from SSBCI, though, restructuring the payment on her building resulted in a substantial savings of $1,335.00 per month, or $16,020.00 per year. Iron Accents employs seven full-time workers.