In the old days, every small town had a baker, a butcher, a blacksmith and a woodworker. The village woodworker was a “cradle to grave” craftsman, meaning he made your baby’s cradle, made your casket and everything in between. He could fix a broken chair, make a dining table, make the doors for your house and just about anything else you might need in your daily life.
Things are quite different today. Gone are the corner butcher shops in most towns. There are local bakeries in some towns, but they often only wholesale to smaller groceries. I don’t remember the last time I ran across a blacksmith, but the craft still exists. As for woodworkers, the vast majority are specialists or Artistes. You can find custom and production cabinet shops where kitchen cabinets and an occasional piece of furniture are produced. Then there are the high end furniture companies catering to wealthy clientele. These are the “artists” working in a “studio” designing and making $1200 chairs and $3000 sofa tables. Ask one of these folks for a butcher block cutting board and prepare to be sneered at.
For this reason, people assume that everyday items made from wood need to be purchased from inexpensive importers from China and elsewhere. These, they buy from internet wholesalers or bargain retailers located in vast warehouse style buildings. But what if you could build a relationship with a real craftsman in a virtual village? What if you could have a conversation about what you needed made and at a reasonable price. Many have experienced that option with my company and return time after time for gifts, furniture, kitchen items and even cremation urns. Contact me today…I would love to be your village woodworker.
