Craft functional and decorative wood pieces from cutting boards to custom furniture. Quality handmade wood items last generations and buyers increasingly value local craftsmanship over mass production.
Consider these related business ideas and specializations:
Craft functional and decorative wood pieces from cutting boards to custom furniture. Quality handmade wood items last generations and buyers increasingly value local craftsmanship over mass production.
Consider these related business ideas and specializations:
San Juan Islands-specific considerations for this business:
Test this idea before investing heavily:
Make 10 cutting boards using wood you have or can get cheaply (~$50-100 in materials). Sell at one or two farmers markets. Track what sizes/styles sell and what questions people ask.
What price points work? Do people want customization (engraving, handles)? Are tourists or locals your buyers?
You sell most of your inventory and have requests for custom pieces or larger items.
Expected startup and operating expenses:
Areas where quality investment pays off:
Cutting boards and utensils touch food. Cheap finishes can be toxic, smell bad, or wear off quickly. One customer complaint about taste or smell destroys your reputation.
Good enough: Food-grade mineral oil or walnut oil for cutting boards. Properly cured finishes labeled food-safe for other items.
Dull tools are dangerous and produce rough cuts. Clean cuts are the difference between professional and amateur work.
Good enough: Mid-range blades from reputable brands. Learn to sharpen hand tools. Replace router bits when they start burning wood.
Areas where cost-cutting makes sense:
Financial timing and planning notes:
Strategies to reduce risk and increase odds of success:
Join shomby today and start selling to your local community. We provide the platformβyou bring the passion.
We build shomby around your businessβnot the other way around. If there's a feature, integration, or tool that would help your woodworking & furniture business succeed, we want to hear about it.
Design and create wearable art pieces from various materials. Handmade jewelry allows for endless creativity and personalization, from delicate minimalist pieces to bold statement items.
Share your artistic vision through original works and high-quality reproductions. Local art buyers appreciate supporting artists in their community and having access to unique pieces.
Create artisanal bath and home fragrance products. This growing market appeals to customers seeking natural, locally-made alternatives to mass-produced products with customizable scents and ingredients.
San Juan Islands-specific considerations for this business:
Test this idea before investing heavily:
Make 10 cutting boards using wood you have or can get cheaply (~$50-100 in materials). Sell at one or two farmers markets. Track what sizes/styles sell and what questions people ask.
What price points work? Do people want customization (engraving, handles)? Are tourists or locals your buyers?
You sell most of your inventory and have requests for custom pieces or larger items.
Expected startup and operating expenses:
Areas where quality investment pays off:
Cutting boards and utensils touch food. Cheap finishes can be toxic, smell bad, or wear off quickly. One customer complaint about taste or smell destroys your reputation.
Good enough: Food-grade mineral oil or walnut oil for cutting boards. Properly cured finishes labeled food-safe for other items.
Dull tools are dangerous and produce rough cuts. Clean cuts are the difference between professional and amateur work.
Good enough: Mid-range blades from reputable brands. Learn to sharpen hand tools. Replace router bits when they start burning wood.
Areas where cost-cutting makes sense:
Financial timing and planning notes:
Strategies to reduce risk and increase odds of success:
Join shomby today and start selling to your local community. We provide the platformβyou bring the passion.
We build shomby around your businessβnot the other way around. If there's a feature, integration, or tool that would help your woodworking & furniture business succeed, we want to hear about it.
Design and create wearable art pieces from various materials. Handmade jewelry allows for endless creativity and personalization, from delicate minimalist pieces to bold statement items.
Share your artistic vision through original works and high-quality reproductions. Local art buyers appreciate supporting artists in their community and having access to unique pieces.
Create artisanal bath and home fragrance products. This growing market appeals to customers seeking natural, locally-made alternatives to mass-produced products with customizable scents and ingredients.