Cold Garage Inspires Hot Business Concept

2012 - Volume #36, Issue #3, Page #06

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“My inspiration for this idea came on a 20 below zero January day when I was trying to build a bookcase in my unheated garage,” says Tim Watts. “My fingers and toes were freezing and I figured there had to be someplace warm that I could rent to work on this project.” It turns out there wasn’t. Since that cold January day in 2010, he and his son Sam along with Brian McDonald have put together every man’s dream wood shop in Burnsville, Minn.
  North Country Woodshop is set up like a health club for woodworkers. It has 9,200 sq. ft. of work area with 42 floor and bench tools, 14 workbenches, down draft sanding tables and a paint room. Rental tools and specialty wood tools are available. The work area is air conditioned and humidity-controlled.
  North Country charges a basic membership fee that gives customers access by the hour, week, month or year. Business memberships allow a company to have two people in the shop at the same time. Besides tools and workspace, there’s a planning room, a library with resource books, magazines and videos, drafting tables, free Wi-Fi and a break area with vending machines and beverages.
  “We researched this business concept real well and couldn’t find any place like it in the country,” Sam Watts says. “The idea grew from a basic heated shop into a wood worker’s paradise.” North Country has a part time staff of expert woodworkers who average more than 20 years of professional experience. They offer advice, mentor people in a one-on-one setting and teach several classes ranging from basic woodworking to complex pen and bowl turning, and cabinet and furniture making. “Our goal is to be a full service wood shop, a ‘man cave’ for the avid woodworker who doesn’t have space in his garage or is missing tools for certain jobs,” Watts says.
  Judging from their first month in business and a weekend open house, Watts has hit on an exciting concept. “We’ve had people here of all ages, with all different skill levels. We’ve had schools call wanting to rent space for industrial arts classes. Even professional woodworkers are renting space to finish jobs, which is a pleasant surprise,” Watts says.
  Setting up the business cost around $200,000, Watts said, and a big hurdle was finding insurance coverage for an untested business model. “It all came together in the end, and it looks like we’ve found a real good niche,” Watts says.
  Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Tim and Sam Watts, North Country Woodshop, 1170 E. Cliff Rd., Burnsville, Minn. 55337 (ph 952 500-8812; www.northcountrywoodshop.com).

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Cold Garage Inspires Hot Business Concept FARM SHOP Miscellaneous “My inspiration for this idea came on a 20 below zero January day when I was trying to build a bookcase in my unheated garage ” says Tim Watts “My fingers and toes were freezing and I figured there had to be someplace warm that I could rent to work on this project ” It turns out there wasn’t Since that cold January day in 2010 he and his son Sam along with Brian McDonald have put together every man’s dream wood shop in Burnsville Minn North Country Woodshop is set up like a health club for woodworkers It has 9 200 sq ft of work area with 42 floor and bench tools 14 workbenches down draft sanding tables and a paint room Rental tools and specialty wood tools are available The work area is air conditioned and humidity-controlled North Country charges a basic membership fee that gives customers access by the hour week month or year Business memberships allow a company to have two people in the shop at the same time Besides tools and workspace there’s a planning room a library with resource books magazines and videos drafting tables free Wi-Fi and a break area with vending machines and beverages “We researched this business concept real well and couldn’t find any place like it in the country ” Sam Watts says “The idea grew from a basic heated shop into a wood worker’s paradise ” North Country has a part time staff of expert woodworkers who average more than 20 years of professional experience They offer advice mentor people in a one-on-one setting and teach several classes ranging from basic woodworking to complex pen and bowl turning and cabinet and furniture making “Our goal is to be a full service wood shop a ‘man cave’ for the avid woodworker who doesn’t have space in his garage or is missing tools for certain jobs ” Watts says Judging from their first month in business and a weekend open house Watts has hit on an exciting concept “We’ve had people here of all ages with all different skill levels We’ve had schools call wanting to rent space for industrial arts classes Even professional woodworkers are renting space to finish jobs which is a pleasant surprise ” Watts says Setting up the business cost around $200 000 Watts said and a big hurdle was finding insurance coverage for an untested business model “It all came together in the end and it looks like we’ve found a real good niche ” Watts says Contact: FARM SHOW Followup Tim and Sam Watts North Country Woodshop 1170 E Cliff Rd Burnsville Minn 55337 ph 952 500-8812; www northcountrywoodshop com

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