woodworking community in Portland OR?

Alice_Tacheny | Posted in Business on February 8, 2001 07:54am

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I am moving to Portland at the end of this summer and am looking for any info on what it’s all about to be a woodworker in Portland–namely shopspace availability, guilds or co-ops, furniture associations, jobs, etc. I currently live in Chicago and have been in an apprenticeship for over a year, and am looking forward to starting a business or continue working for someone. (By the way, I won’t be swayed out of moving to Oregon by being given discouraging information, so you may as well be helpful.) I would really appreciate any advice or information you might have.

Replies

Douglas_Vincent | Jan 23, 2001 07:11am | #1
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Portland has a great amount of woodworkers, but the community feeling is only so-so in comparison. We have the Oregon School of Arts and Crafts, the Northwest School of Woodworking (?) headed by Gary Rogowski, and one or two other "educational" programs. Then there is the Oregon Guild of Woodworkers, two or three guilds of woodturning, and another or two guilds that are wood related. The Barker Building is a collection of woodshops (maybe 10?) and soon to be more now that Bridge City tools has left. I think that there are one or two other places that have a co-op feel but don't quote me.

Wood sources include, as retail oriented, Woodcrafters, Woodcraft Supply, Rocklers, and Crosscut. Tool shops are Barbo, NBH, The Tool Shed and one or two others as well as the above wood sources also stock tools. Pure wood dealers are Crosscut Hardwoods and Gilmers and well as "wholesale" dealers such as Hardwood Industries, Emerson Hardwoods, Continetal Hardwoods, Moxon Hardwoods, Disdero, and a couple I can't remember.

Per capita, I am sure Portland is among the top 5 in professional furniture and woodworkers. Whether they make a living at it is in question. All I know is we have a suck ass market (compared to Seattle and San Fran) and are all competing against each other. Howerver, because we are so many, the market is changing.

We have two major manufacturers of hand made furniture, The Joinery and Kinion. Both do Shaker and Mission style products, heavy on the cherry. We also have Full Upright Position, although they do not represent a single local furniture maker, they are nice to visit.

I would list some of the smaller operations (1 to 5 person shops) but some don't like non-customer advertising so I won't mention anyone just to be safe, you just have to look in the yellow pages of Portland under - Furnituer-custom design.

Then, of course, there is myself in all my splendor and glory. One man operation usually.

Douglas Vincent
Fine Furniture and Design
http://www.vincentfurniture.com

Stanley_Niemiec | Feb 08, 2001 07:52am | #2
*Alice:Douglas has been very kind and thorough in his writings. He is right on the money with his critique. Anything is an improvement on Chicago, at least relative to both the weather and the scenery. I should know cuz I'm an ex-northsider and am still an afflicted and long suffering Cubs fan. The price you will pay is one in real dollars. I hope you are good at marketing!!!!!If you get the chance -- stop by and see my buddy Danny at Danlin before you come out. And eat you fill of hot dogs cuz they don't exist out here. Take a cruise through the Art Institute too before you come just for old times sake. My favorite is Picasso's The Old Guitarist from his blue period.I hope you like rain and some of the finest indigenous hardwoods in the world.Stanley Niemiec (east of Salem)http://niemiecstudios.comPS my opinion of the Guild of Oregon Woodworkers is less than favorable when it comes to trade oriented professionalism and pro-active business support/development. It could be but it's not IMO.