Jake’s Handcrafted Oak is home to fine, inspiring furniture
By Joanne Lehman
Finding your way to Jake’s Handcrafted Oak is only half the fun. From main routes, you’ll spot signs for this country furniture store. Follow winding country roads through a ravine and enjoy the sights and sounds of nature. Here life slows down and hardwoods cluster on hillsides dotted with small white shops where skilled workers create the finest furniture from the oak and cherry trees native to the area.
Twelve years ago, after working as a farmer and then in a feed business, Jake Chupp opened this country furniture store to display and sell the handiwork of local furniture manufacturers. Chupp credits his brother, who was manufacturing chairs, for suggesting he open the store-one of the first of its kind in the area. The owner says he’s seen the industry change in the past few years as builders continue to show various styles and woods. The growing popularity of furniture from the Wayne-Holmes area has resulted in increased traffic through his store and exposure to the hand-crafted quality people have come to expect from these Ohio furniture builders.
At Jake’s, the bright showroom is accented with large windows framed with white ruffled curtains, giving the store a homey country feeling. Although the business began as place to sell oak pieces, in their 4,000 square foot show room the owners now offer a variety of woods. The quality heirloom furniture found here includes many styles, from traditional country oak pedestal tables to the latest contemporary rustic cherry.
Simple displays of bedrooms, dining rooms and entertainment centers provide many options for creating rooms the family will enjoy for years to come. Chupp said the furniture at Jake’s comes from many small shops in the area. Most are located between Berlin and Kidron. The shops continue to build new styles each year, and most offer custom design so a customer can blend new furniture with their existing colors and styles. Choose your design, crafted with your choice of native hardwood and stained in the color of your choice.
Finishes these days are increasingly an interesting with a mix of both woods and stains that provide something to appeal to every taste. A round oak bar table features a creamy white distressed finish that allows the oak grain to show through for a warm buttermilk appeal. Other pieces mix cherry and dark espresso stains for up-to-the-minute styling found in the most stylish bistros. “Our builders try to go with the trends,” says Chupp.
One of the keys to having a quality product is finishing. While pieces found at Jake’s are manufactured in separate shops, Chupp works with one specific finisher to ensure the highest quality product and well-matched pieces for every room of the house.
An interesting collection at Jake’s is the wide selection of furniture for children including tables, chairs, toy chests and other wood items in a variety of styles and finishes. Rather than scattering these pieces through the store, at Jake’s they’re gathered under one of the sunny windows. It’s not hard to picture a nursery or playroom with the genuine quality of wood. These are the gifts that become a family heirloom and a great alternative to the plastic offerings found in big box stores.
Jake’s is located at 8239 TR 562, Holmesville. Contact the store through voice mail at 888-388-5650 or fax the company at 330-695-2262.
