It all started with a skillet sold by one man: craftsman and entrepreneur Isaac Morton. In 2015, Morton founded North Charleston-based cookware company Smithey Ironware Co. to share the experience of cooking with classic cast iron pieces. He sold the first handcrafted Smithey that same year as the company’s only employee.
But since setting out to recreate the cookware popular in the late 19th century, Morton has created a legacy all of his own. Today, 65 employees power Smithey and send its premium products to 550 retailers nationwide. And it’s all still made in North Charleston — from dutch ovens to spatulas, griddles to roasters.
As Morton caps off a decade of innovation and expansion, he shared more about Smithey’s evolution and what the next 10 years hold.
Creating quality cookware for the next generation
The inspiration to launch a cookware company came to Morton as more of a slow burn than a fiery spark — which is fitting for a manufacturer specializing in cast iron, a material famous for heating up slowly yet retaining heat remarkably well to ensure the perfect sear or bake.
“The realization that there was a business opportunity dawned on me gradually from about 2011 to 2015,” said Morton, who was busy restoring vintage cast iron pieces as a hobby at the time. “The hallmark of vintage cast iron was its smooth surface finish and distinct branding. I was curious why no one was making modern cast iron in a vintage style.”
So he set out to do just that by opening his very own smithy, a workshop for metalworkers, housed in the historic Navy Yard industrial campus adjacent to Riverfront Park. There, he experimented with principles of geometry and mass to figure out how to recreate a skillet with a naturally nonstick surface and a silky copper-like sheen. It’s this vintage-inspired characteristic which sets Smithey pieces visually apart from other cast iron you’ll see on the shelves.
Famous cooks took note first. Soon high-end culinary distributors, including Williams Sonoma, Sur La Table, Goop and more, began snatching up Smithey skillets to sell nationwide, eager for more. In 2018, Smithey delivered: Morton partnered with blacksmiths next door to its production facility in the Navy Yard to add carbon steel cookware to the collection.
(Fun fact: When Morton tried to trademark the name “Smithy” for his new company, it was considered too close to the common name Smith, so wasn’t permitted. He compromised by adding an “e” in front of the “y” and the rest, as they say, is history.)
Expanding into service to keep cast iron king
Over the years, the opportunity for Smithey to dispel myths around cast-iron cookware and make it more approachable began to stand out to Morton.
“As we’ve matured, I’ve realized that we have an opportunity to be teachers and helpers to people that may be intimidated by some of the mythology built up around cast iron,” he said.
For example, caring for cast-iron cookware takes more time.
“You have to keep it dry, oil its surface, and scrape it down every now and then,” Morton said. But with the extra care comes extra perks. “I often say that cast iron is like a garden or classic car — the more you care for it, the more appreciation and pride you derive from it.”
To deepen Smithey’s connection with customers, in May 2021, it launched an engraving service to offer the option to personalize any pan. Then a year later, Smithey opened a cast iron restoration shop to encourage cooking with vintage cast iron again. Now anyone can send an old piece to Smithey, and it will remove rust and carbon build-up and reseason for a smooth and even finish so it’s ready for the stove.
Investing in Charleston, Smithey’s future
In 2024, Smithey opened a public showroom located at 1061 Everglades Ave. for people to shop for cookware, tools and accessories. Smithey also made headlines with a $3.1 million investment to create a new distribution facility, as well as 16 new jobs.
“I’m most proud of pacing our growth,” Morton said. “We have grown a lot over the last 10 years and kept up with it by investing in people, equipment and space. When the wind is at your back, a lot of companies are tempted to abandon the things that they are genuinely good at by chasing ancillary business opportunities where they don’t have a core expertise. We’ve done a pretty good job staying in our lane and taking risks that we understand.”
As he looks ahead, Morton said he plans to stay the course making big and small improvements to Smithey’s core cookware lineup. He’s most excited to continue mixing color and materials, inspired by the brass-colored stainless steel handles featured on the recently released Double Burner Griddle, to keep cast iron the core of the future.
“I hope the company remains true to its purpose and values,” Morton said. “It’s something we talk about a lot here. If we do those things, our customers and our team will be well-served.”
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