Today we’d like to introduce you to Tony Evans.
Hi Tony, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
I was a knife enthuisiast and hobby sharpener for many years because I grew up hunting, fishing and as I got older I loved cooking as well. During COVID I was stuck at home because my 2nd grader son was doing virtual school so I was looking for ways to make some extra money from home and I had the idea that I could possibly start sharpening for money for my neighbors or maybe local restaurants. Well turned out there was a very strong need for that in our area and before I knew it people were bringing me so many things to sharpen I was making more doing that then I was at my job. Once I started doing farmers markets things really took off. Before I knew it I had become “the Knife Guy” for the whole city
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
The biggest challenge is always just reaching new customers and convincing people who are used to dull knives and scissors and mower blades etc that there’s this whole other world of efficient and enjoyable work that I can introduce them to.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
I’m a professional sharpener. My specialty is knives but I also sharpen anything from yard tools and mower blades to veterinary instruments and sewing scissors. Whatever people bring me I do my best to help them work better and more efficiently. What sets me apart is my highly personalized customer service, attention to detail and my dedication to sharpening as a craft. I tend to do things a little bit old school like sharpening on a big stone water wheel while so many sharpeners are moving to high speed belt systems because I thinks it’s creates a sharper longer lasting edge even if it takes a tiny bit more time. I think my job is to not just save you money by making your knives and tools last as long as possible and making sure you or your employees are working as efficiently as possible but to make my customers excited every time they reach for their knife. I’ve always told people it’s my job to make you feel like your the executive chef even in your home kitchen.
What do you like and dislike about the city?
What I’ve always liked about Lansing is it has so many of the benefits of living in a larger city(hidden gem restaurants, so many different cultures, music, art, festivals etc) but has this small town feel like we never have to worry about things like traffic jams, affordability, violent crime etc.
If I had to say something I don’t like about our city it’s that it seems to be a rather difficult environment for small businesses. You see a lot of restaurants going out of business, long time business owners retiring and nobody wants to take over so they close the doors. It’s difficult to get people to come out and support small and local sometimes when maybe it’s a little cheaper or easier to go to Walmart or McDonald’s or whatever. It’s unfortunate but true. I feel like that’s something we could really work on as a community.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://hometownhone.wixsite.com/hometownhone
- Instagram: @hometown_hone_knife_sharpening
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/188bGL654y/
