Who we are
and what we ain’t
Born from, and inspired by. . .…
The husband-and-wife team of Evan and Chelsea Bunn started Local Yokels as a love letter to Appalachia, where they were both born and raised. A place and its people that have endured so much, Evan and Chelsea knew the communities of Appalachia deserved representation beyond the centuries-old stereotypes given to them by the greater public. With the crucial support of a rotating cast of incredible friends and family, they set out to offer the people of their community a brand of hillbilly they could identify with and be proud of.
A Quick Timeline
2021 - The Local Yokels name was founded and concepting began.
2022 - After months of development and preparation, Local Yokels Trading Co. launched to the public online, and in person at the WV New River Gorge Bridge for Bridge Day ‘22.
2023 - The team purchased “Critter,” a 24-foot, 23-year-old school bus that was converted to become the new LY mobile storefront.
2024 - Founders Evan and Chelsea continue full-time with the expansion of all LY products and events, serving thousands of customers online and in person, all across the country.
Hand Drawn Quality
At the heart of everything we offer at LY is traditional handmade quality. Through her passion for design and illustration, co-founder and renowned Illustrator Chelsea Bunn, meticulously hand-draws each LY signature design. Her timeless style and focus on detail establish the quality you can expect from every Local Yokels Trading Co. product.
Innovative, Locally-Made Gear
The only thing we love more than developing original camping gear is making sure it’s manufactured close to home! Industrial Designer by trade, LY Co-founder and developer of the Spitfire, Evan Bunn, took his obsession with problem-solving to the outdoor gear space. With over 10,000 units sold to date, the Local Yokels Original line of patent-pending Spitfire Multi-tools has simplified the fire making and tending process forever. Better still, the development, implementation, and manufacturing of each Spitfire have been kept local in the small Appalachian Village of Ripley, OH, just down the street from where our founder grew up.
WHAT IT MEANS TO BE A YOKEL
On its face, a “yokel” is simply an old term for what many would call a hillbilly. To us, however, a Yokel is so much more.
First and foremost, a Yokel is someone who loves the land and all the critters that call it home.
To us, a Yokel cherishes community, values hard work, and takes care of kin. They live for warm fires, old friends, and Mamaw's biscuits.
A true Yokel knows that the best sermons are lived, not preached. Be it the way you talk, the place you’re from, the color of your skin, or the ones you cherish most — anyone can be a Yokel as long as you ain’t about hate, and love ya some love.
