Wood lathe turns into furniture showroom for this entrepreneur
By Joanne Lehman
According to Gary Yoder, manager of Dutch Craft Furniture in Berlin, being very knowledgeable about wood is important when you're selling handcrafted furniture. And he had the ideal learning environment early in life. When he was 10 years old, his father started a wood shop where he created hardwood parts used by several area craftsmen. Yoder began working in the shop after school. By age 14, school days were over for Yoder, as they are for most Amish teens.
Learning took on a new importance, as the young woodworker gained skills and knowledge in the trade. He continued to work in wood furniture manufacturing for the next decade, learning alongside his father and others in the business. Yoder's hands on training was on the wood lathe, where he turned table legs, bedposts and spindles used on furniture manufactured from various kinds of wood. His experience and learning about the characteristics and the different species of woods came from working closely with the craftsmen as well as working along the side of his father at his wood shop as a young adult. This first hand experience serves Yoder well when it comes time to design that perfect piece of furniture you are looking for.
Because he worked with builders from a number of small shops, he learned new things about furniture crafting from each of them.
Today, some of these shops make the furniture customers see at Dutch Craft, which opened in January 2009. The showroom is located in the lower level of the Berlin Antique Mall, at the corner of routes 39 and 62, just minutes away from his father's woodcraft business.
Dutch Craft Furniture works with selected craftsmen to create the furniture displayed in their showroom. These craftsmen take a lot of pride in their work.
At Dutch Craft, Yoder likes to work with his customers to help them find a look that suits them. “When a customer comes in with questions, we have an answer for them. Part of the fun is the experience I can pass on from working with wood myself- I know what I'm selling,” said Yoder. By listening to the customer and noticing what they like, he can help them consider their choices. He knows the craftsmen he works with are happy to build custom pieces- sometimes from a drawing created by his & the customer's ideas. Because of his experience, he can give an on-the-spot cost estimate- a real asset for customers. Yoder said producing a special request oftentimes leads to a design that later becomes a new offering on the showroom floor.
“The beauty of the wood is what makes a piece of furniture,” said Yoder. He's made it a priority to have many different kinds of wood at Dutch Craft- from quarter sawn white oak to maple to elm. He also offers a variety of stains and hardware. By having plenty of samples to look at, people can see how a particular wood looks with a certain finish. New contemporary designs and finishes ensure that there is something for everyone.
The store slogan, “A complete line of hardwood furniture”, says it all. Contact Gary Yoder, of Dutch Craft Furniture, by calling 330-893-4041 or by mail at P.O. Box 199, Berlin 44610.
