About Askew-Taylor

We are a small family-owed business that has been in the Raleigh, NC, area for over 50 years. Although our product lines have changed over the years, our philosophy of offering quality products and customer service remains the same.

A Brief History

Originally, our store was called John Askew Paint Store and was founded in 1946 by John Askew—who worked crews of painters, paperhangers, and floor finishers—and his son-in-law T.K. Taylor.

In 1957, T.K.’s son, Kirk, began working at the store on weekdays during the summer and Saturdays year round. In 1960, T.K. bought the store and continued helping John manage a small crew of painters until John’s death in 1968. Eventually, the name was changed to Askew-Taylor Paints to reflect the change in ownership. In 1967, Kirk put $1100 worth of art supplies in a corner, and by the 1980’s, the art business had grown to be more than half the total business. Sadly, T.K. passed away in December of 2000, but Kirk continues the family business as the product lines continue evolving to meet customer demands.

Looking Towards the Future

Due to the amazing growth in our art supplies business, we have now phased out the house paint, except for a few paint brushes and sundries. We are also constantly adding new products. Some new products are expansions of old lines, like Golden paint’s new arcrylic mediums. Other products, like die-cast models and various modeling materials, are new to our store. But no matter the mix of old and new, our original goal remains: To offer quality goods at reasonable prices in a friendly and welcoming atmosphere.

As told by the current owner, Kirk Taylor:

In the 1960’s, my father told me the best way to be successful was to take care of each customer’s needs to the best of your ability and let the business grow through word of mouth. This also reflected John Askew’s business philosophy. Now, it is my goal to implement that philosophy as well as they did.

Let Us Know What You Think

Thank you for taking a few minutes to learn about our store’s history and philosophy of cutomer service. Ultimately, though, it is not our products but our customers who make our store unique. So, please feel free to contact us with questions about product availability. Many of our newer products have been brought in to fill customer needs. What’s more, we may have something in stock that just hasn’t been added to our catalog yet. Who knows. Your suggestion may voice what several other customers have thought but not shared with us.

You can find our full contact information on our Contact Us page.

Are you or will you be in the Raleigh area? Stop by for a visit. We have driving directions and a linked image to Google® maps on our Hours & Location page.