Frequently Asked Questions

· You Ask, We Answer ·

What are your hours of operation?

Tuesday – Friday, 8am-4:30pm

Closed Saturday-Monday.

Mondays are our farm & shop work days, during which all employees either work at Renfrow Farms or in the hardware store shop, rescreening windows, repairing tools, and sharpening blades.

We close for a full week for family vacations two times each year – once in the summer, and once in the winter.

Where can I park?

Our “regulars” know the secret to avoiding downtown Matthews’ crazy traffic – come to our back parking lot and enter via our back door. Located on Cotton Gin Alley, directly behind the hardware store. If you pass the hardware store’s front door with your right shoulder, turn right on Charles Street before the RR tracks, then turn right on Cotton Gin Alley. We are the second parking lot on the right, and there are arrows pointing you up to the back door from that lot.   There is also a public parking lot located one block down the street, across the railroad tracks, for busy overflow traffic.

Do you cut keys?

Yes duplicating keys is one of our specialties – we carry over 1000 different key blanks, with 98% of them from a NC manufacturer. We also duplicate many of the high-tech auto keys, including the laser-cut sidewinder car keys.

Do you offer window screen repair, knife sharpening, and other services?

Yes, we do a variety of window screen and storm window repair and building services, as well as knife and blade sharpening, tool handle repair, glass cutting, and more. See our Hardware Services page for more details or give us a call!

Do you repair lawnmowers and other small engines?

We do not repair small engines or do electrical work, but we have several businesses we recommend for these sort of services – see our “Renfrow’s List” page for their contact information, or give us a call.

Do you offer gardening classes?

Yes, periodically. check out our annual schedule here. If nothing is currently scheduled, please check back.

When do you get new plants in the greenhouse each week?

In the peak of springtime, we receive 3-4 plant deliveries each week. The delivery schedule varies so it is best to check our Greenhouse Inventory (link this) page or call us if you are looking for a specific item. Our greenhouse is stocked with plants from early February – late June with winter and spring plants. We then carry “late planting” tomato plants and fall gardening transplants from mid-July – late September. Check out our greenhouse availability now.

When do you receive your perennial fruit trees/shrubs/vines?

We get one or two shipments of fruit plants each year, always in the autumn (usually October). The ideal timeframe to plant fruit is November-March. Our fruit plants come from Bottoms Nursery in Georgia and are all varieties especially suitable for our climate. Ask other nurseries and big box stores if they can tell you if their fruit plants are suitable for our climate and growing zone! Check out our fruit availability now.

When do you have baby chicks?

We receive Friday morning shipments of baby chicks weekly in April and May. We occasionally receive a delivery in late March, and occasionally in early June. Please refer to the current year’s calendar (posted in January or February each year) for the most recent schedule. The schedule is made months in advance and will have very few changes before late May, with the last few weeks being when we can make additions.

For more information, please check out our Chick Report calendar or our Backyard Chickens Resources

Where is your farm?

Only 3 short blocks away from the hardware store! The farm is directly behind the Matthews Help Center, at 409 W Charles Street (the street that parallels the railroad tracks). View our Renfrow Farms website for more information.

When is your farm open to the public?

We are closed to the public except for during gardening classes. View our Renfrow Farms website for more information. (Last updated 2021)

Do you sell your farm’s vegetables or flowers at the Matthews Farmers Market?

No we do not, as we sell any of our farm’s seasonal offerings of vegetables and flowers inside the hardware store  throughout the week! We love the Matthews Farmers Market and definitely recommend visiting our many friends who are vendors at the market – you cannot find a better mix of farms and produce and atmosphere in the Charlotte area than in downtown Matthews on Saturday mornings. We sell our farm’s honey at the hardware store year-round.

Where can I get your farm’s honey?

We have 70ish beehives in downtown Matthews at Renfrow Farms. Our four harvest seasons of honey are available for purchase at Renfrow Hardware year-round.

How long have you been in business?

Renfrow’s has been in the same building in downtown Matthews since 1900, Read a brief snapshot of our history here.

Are y’all on social media?

Yes! Facebook.com/RenfrowHardware & Instagram as @renfrowfarms. We use both pages for both farm and hardware store news. We use social media infrequently but have a weekly Renfrow Happenings email newsletter that keeps over 4000 of our customers in-the-loop with all that we have going on at the hardware store and farm. Sign up here.