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Chatham Mills, Pittsboro, NC Chatham Mills, Pittsboro, NC
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The front of Chatham Mills, a brick mill building with a sign reading Chatham Mills Inc. Woven Labels
Pittsboro, North Carolina · Est. 1925

A Landmark Reimagined.

More than a century after its looms first started, Chatham Mills is a longtime home for local shops, places to eat, studios, and services.

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No. 01 · The Mills

Rooted in history.

Built for what's next.

Chatham Mills opened in 1925 on the north side of Pittsboro, and for most of the century that followed, its looms were part of the town's daily rhythm. Since the looms went quiet, its brick buildings have filled with local shops, places to eat, studios, and services, and the mill has become an everyday stop for people across Chatham County.

1925
The mill opens
≈32
Acres on Hillsboro Street
0.5 mi
North of downtown Pittsboro
180
Jacquard looms at its height
Three women who worked as weavers at Chatham Mills, standing beside the looms
Weavers, 1930s
Woven label ribbons in deep red, cream, and lavender
No. 02 · History

Woven in Pittsboro.

In 1925, the Artistic Weaving Company began building a silk label mill on Hillsboro Street. The looms that arrived that fall could weave several ribbons of labels at once, in multiple colors, complete with lettering and figures.

Over the decades that followed, Chatham Mills grew into the largest plant of its kind in the world, with 180 Jacquard looms producing the woven labels stitched inside clothing across the country. Weaving continued here until 1997.

  1. 1925Construction begins on the silk label mill
  2. 1963Known as the largest woven label plant in the world
  3. 1997Weaving ends, and the buildings start a second life as shops and businesses
  4. TodayHome to local shops, food, studios, and services
From the archive
Mule teams clearing the mill site, with small houses behind
1925Mule teams clear the site on Hillsboro Street.
Block walls rising during early construction of the mill
WallsThe first walls rise.
Roof framing over the open mill floor during construction
RoofFraming goes up over the open floor.
A Jacquard loom with a long chain of punched cards feeding into it
The LoomJacquard looms read patterns from chains of punched cards.
No. 03 · Today

The Mills Today

The old mill buildings have been home to local shops, studios, services, and places to eat for years. Stop in, look around, and meet the people behind them.

See All Businesses
The courtyard lawn at Chatham Mills, with the brick buildings and water tower behind
The CourtyardCommunity
A walkway along the brick mill buildings with tall factory windows
Factory WindowsShops & Studios
Aerial view of Chatham Mills and its water tower
From Above≈32 Acres
The original mill entrance with a small portico, green doors, and white stair rail
The Original MillEst. 1925
A covered porch with string lights along the brick building
The PorchGather
 Directory Who's HereShops, studios, services, and places to eat, all at the mill. See All Businesses
No. 04 · Leasing

Make Your Mark Here.

Join the established businesses that already call the mill home. Brick walls, factory windows, and more than a century of history give every space real character, half a mile from downtown Pittsboro. Spaces open up from time to time, from small studios to larger storefronts.

  • Office
    Workspace for teams and independent practices.
  • Retail
    Storefronts made for browsing and repeat visits.
  • Creative
    Studios for makers, artists, and small production.
  • Hospitality
    Room for food, drink, and gathering.
  • Service
    A steady home for the businesses neighbors rely on.
The long weave floor of the mill lined with looms beneath steel roof trusses
The original weave floor
≈25,000
Square feet available
8
Businesses at the mill
View Leasing Opportunities

Leasing by BOLD Commercial Real Estate · 919-883-5502

No. 05 · Location

In the
Heart of
Pittsboro.

Chatham Mills sits on about 32 acres along Hillsboro Street, roughly half a mile north of the courthouse circle in downtown Pittsboro. Downtown's shops and restaurants are an easy walk away, with Chatham Park and the rest of the Triangle a short drive beyond.

0.5 mi
Downtown Pittsboro
≈32
Acres
≈25 min
Chapel Hill
≈45 min
Raleigh
480 Hillsboro Street
Pittsboro, NC 27312
Get Directions
Map of Pittsboro showing Chatham Mills, downtown Pittsboro, Chatham Park, and US 15-501, US 64, and US 421 toward Chapel Hill, Raleigh, Sanford, and Siler City
A bunch of fresh-cut flowers at the farmers market, with zinnias, cosmos, and coneflowers
Saturdays on the lawn
Long purple eggplants stacked at a farm stand
Herbal tinctures and loose-leaf tea bags at a market booth
No. 06 · Farmers' Market

Chatham Mills
Farmers' Market

A growers-only market on the lawn at Chatham Mills. Local farms and makers bring produce, mushrooms, meats, eggs, cheese, baked goods, preserves, cut flowers, honey, and handmade crafts.

Every Saturday
8 AM–12 PM
April through October
Winter Hours
10 AM–1 PM
November through January
Visit the Market Site Get Directions

Find Your Space
at the Mill.

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