Mitchell Gold’s nearly 5,000-square-foot, custom-built home in Conover is on the market for $2.8 million.
Gold is a co-founder of the Taylorsville-based furniture company Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams. He is also a social activist who advocates for marriage equality and other causes.
Gold said in a phone interview he downsized to a 2,100-square-foot home in Hickory because it is more manageable and gives him the chance to spend more time with his 7-year-old disabled dog, L.C. Gold said L.C. stands for Little Champ.
The Conover house sits on more than an acre of land, Gold said. The land is beautifully landscaped, he said, meaning it requires lots of upkeep.
“At this … stage of life, I just want to do less,” Gold said. “I want to simplify things, and I just don’t need that much property and that much house anymore.”
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L.C. had a puppy palace custom-built for her that catered to her specific needs, Gold said, but it also separated them.
“She was 50 feet away from me in a separate building,” Gold said. “So I would go be with her in the morning for half an hour, an hour at dinner time. Sometimes if it was the weekend, I’d be with her a lot more. But I just didn’t like it.”
Gold said he chose a house with luxury vinyl flooring for easy cleanup behind L.C., and an easily accessible yard.
Mild weather, community keep Gold in Catawba County
Gold said when he no longer had to stay in the area for his work, he began considering other places. Gold said he considered Arizona because he had family there, and Florida because, “People my age want to go to Florida and be in warmer weather year-round.”
Gold said the more he thought about it, the more he realized Hickory’s weather is, for the most part, pleasant. Summer isn’t uncomfortably warm, winter is mild, spring and fall are pleasant and there are relatively few tornadoes, hurricanes and other natural disasters, Gold said.
“In addition to that, we have really good restaurants now,” Gold said. “We have a good community theater at the Green Room, at the Hickory Community Theatre. There are a lot of nice things here. We’re close to the mountains … (and) close enough to Charlotte.”
Gold also considered the circle of friends he has in the area and the cost of living. Gold said he saw no sense moving somewhere more expensive.
What’s next for Mitchell Gold?
Gold said he is working for the new owners of the Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams company.
“I’m advising them and working on hiring a vice president of designs,” Gold said. “Working on the marketing and advising in general how to relaunch the company that we hope to see back in business by August or September.”
The Taylorsville-based furniture company unexpectedly closed its doors in August 2023. The company went bankrupt under the previous owner. Neither Gold nor co-founder Bob Williams owned the company at the time.
In November 2023, Georgia-based furniture company Surya bought the company. Gold has worked closely with Surya to breathe life back into the brand.
Gold also said he wants to, “take the time to educate people about things like book-banning and how harmful that is, and how it’s not helpful to young people.”
In the past, Gold has addressed the Catawba County Schools Board of Education regarding board member Michelle Teague’s mass book challenge.
Gold said he would also like to spend time defining terms like “Christian values” and separating harmful connotations from the real thing.
Gold said he will be participating in the Wild Goose Festival in Union Grove this year.
“(Wild Goose Festival is) a lot of writers and thinkers talking about how to have Christian values that help people be more prominent in America or the world, instead of the loud, fake Christian values that harm people very often,” Gold said.
When asked for an example of fake Christian values, Gold referenced U.S. House of Representatives Speaker Mike Johnson identifying as a strong Christian, yet, “his immigration policy in particular is far from welcoming the stranger (and) loving thy neighbor, and in general thwarts legislation to help the sick and poor,” Gold said.
Tim Gold Dog Training closed
Gold said that Tim Gold Dog Training is no longer a business.
“My husband and I divorced,” Gold said. “He moved back to Washington where he’s doing dog training, and I wasn’t able to keep the dog training business continuing.”
Gorgeous views and lake access
The $2.8 million home offers some privacy because it’s on a dead-end street off another dead-end street, Gold said. The property also has access to Lake Hickory.
Gold said it is excellent for people who work remotely and has several office spaces. The puppy palace, which is about 700 square feet with its own bathroom, converts easily into an office space, Gold said.
“One is the office I had, which was off the bedroom facing the lake, and it was all glassed in with floor-to-ceiling glass windows and an extraordinary view of the lake,” Gold said.
The house is also great for entertaining guests, Gold said. He said he has had up to 120 guests before.
The home includes a heated pool and hot tub, according to the description on Realtor Joan Everett’s website.
Gold said he lived there for 27 years. He said that is the longest he has ever lived anywhere.
“I’m going to miss it,” Gold said. “I’m very bittersweet about it.”