BUSINESS OF THE WEEK: WOODSHED CREATIONS, Knock on wood

La Crosse Tribune, Apr 29, 2002 by Cahalan, Steve

MELROSE, Wis. - A year after they started the business, Bob and Margaret Somerville have opened a retail shop WoodShed Creations, next to their rural Melrose home.

"If all goes well this year, we may expand it," Bob said of the retail shop, which opened a week ago.

It is open by chance or by appointment and features furniture and other wood products crafted by Bob, who is a carpenter with more than 29 years of experience. Peg does all of the staining, varnishing and painting, makes floral pieces and doilies and helps her husband make decorative items, such as miniature Christmas sleds, apples and pumpkins.

The Somervilles have fulltime jobs elsewhere. Bob and his brother Tom own Somerville Construction, which builds and remodels homes. Peg works at the Northern Automotive Systems plant in West Salem.

Bob was raised on a nearby dairy farm and built the couple's home in 1974.

The Somervilles started WoodShed Creations in January 2001 at their home. For about five years before that, they occasionally made furniture, shelves and other items for friends and neighbors.

They make wood items in the garage of their home, and before the retail shop opened, sold them at several open houses at the garage. They also sold their items at several craft shows last year.

This year, the Somervilles plan to sell their products at 10 to 15 craft shows within 100 miles of their home. They also advertise their business and products on the Internet site they started last September www.woodshedcreations.com.

"Last year, most of our sales were generated at shows," Peg said.

By having a retail shop, Bob said, "This way, we can still go out on the road, but still have things here to show and sell." He built the shop in part of a wood shed.

The shop carries a large variety of the couple's products and will have a grand opening although the date hasn't been set yet.

The Somervilles also offer to custom build pieces to customers' specifications. Customers are welcome to send a photo, a picture from a magazine or a sketch and have an item custom made, Bob said. He also can build furniture to match existing pieces.

The Somervilles, who are both 53, hope to gradually turn WoodShed Creations into a full-time business for themselves. So far, they are its only employees.

By turning it into a full-time business, Peg said, "You can enjoy your work and stay at home."

But she said she especially enjoys going to craft shows "and meeting people, both customers and other crafters."

Bob especially enjoys working with his hands.

"We want to give people something that's going to last," Peg said. "Something they can pass on to their children-not something that's made out of particle board."

"We mainly work with pine," Bob said. But he also uses a variety of other woods, such as oak, cherry, walnut and ash.

Some of the items he and Peg make are rocking chairs, boxes, shelves, cabinets, desks, magazine racks, bread boxes, step stools, benches, tables, quilt racks, cutting boards, "whatever" boxes for storing keepsakes or other items, highchairs for dolls or infants, recipe boxes, bird houses, trellises, wooden flowers for gardens and key keepers for hanging keys on.

"Whatever anyone needs, we're willing to work with them on it," Peg said.

For example, the Somervilles can custom make a curio display case or gun cabinet, like the ones they have made for themselves.