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Key people at Woodcraft.
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Key people at Woodcraft.
Woodcraft primarily refers to Woodcraft Supply, a leading U.S. retailer of woodworking tools, supplies, and machinery founded in 1928, serving hobbyists, professional woodworkers, cabinetmakers, and schools with high-quality products, catalogs, online sales, and educational resources.[3][4][5] It solves the challenge of sourcing premium woodworking materials and tools by offering a vast selection through retail stores, woodcraft.com (launched 1996), mail-order catalogs, and expert advice, evolving from a small Boston shop to a national chain with headquarters in Parkersburg, West Virginia.[3][5] The company has shown steady growth, including expansions, leadership changes (e.g., Jack Bigger as president/COO in 2018), ERP software implementation in 2014 for efficiency, and celebrations of its 90th (2018) and 95th+ years by 2023, maintaining a commitment to customer expectations.[3][4][5]
(Note: Search results also describe Woodcraft Industries Inc., a separate hardwood manufacturing firm founded in 1945 for cabinets and components, but the query aligns more closely with the prominent Woodcraft Supply retailer.[1][2])
Woodcraft Supply was founded in 1928 by George Eaton and Richard Merrill in a one-room shop in Boston's North End, initially selling new and rebuilt industrial woodworking machinery to professional cabinetmakers and schools during the era when President Calvin Coolidge oversaw early tool manufacturing.[3][4][5] In the 1950s, Eaton launched a limited mail-order business with tools from Wm. Marples & Son and German makers, becoming a dealer for Boice-Crane and Rockwell Delta; by 1958, it issued its first hand tool catalog after partnering with an English toolmaker.[4] Roger Wells acquired the company in the 1960s, moving it to Woburn, Massachusetts, and expanding via printed ads into a warehouse and catalog operation.[3][4]
Sam Ross, founder of SBR Inc., bought Woodcraft in 1972, leveraging retail expertise to open stores and drive growth; headquarters shifted to Parkersburg, West Virginia, in 1992 after warehouse relocation in 1989.[3][4][5] Pivotal moments include launching woodcraft.com in 1996 as an early woodworking e-commerce site, a 50-year partnership with Swiss toolmaker Pfeil (noted 2013), and leadership transitions like Jody Garrett to president in 2012 and Jack Bigger in 2018.[3][4]
Woodcraft Supply rides the enduring trend of DIY craftsmanship and hobbyist maker culture, amplified by digital tools enabling online communities, tutorials, and e-commerce in woodworking—a niche intersecting tech via CNC machines, 3D-printed jigs, and software-integrated tools.[4][5] Timing has favored it through mail-order innovation in the analog era, early internet adoption (1996), and social media for inspiration, positioning it amid market forces like rising home improvement post-pandemics and sustainable sourcing demands.[3][4] It influences the ecosystem by educating generations of woodworkers, partnering globally (e.g., Pfeil), and bridging traditional skills with modern retail tech like ERP and demos, sustaining a specialized supply chain in an era of mass-produced goods.[3][5]
Woodcraft Supply's next phase likely involves deeper e-commerce enhancements, AI-driven personalization for tool recommendations, and expanded sustainable/imported materials amid global supply shifts, building on its digital foundations.[4][5] Trends like maker spaces, eco-conscious woodworking, and VR tutorials will shape growth, potentially evolving its influence toward hybrid online-offline experiences for pros and hobbyists. From its 1928 roots inspiring "the first American woodworker," Woodcraft remains a steadfast enabler of hands-on creation in a digital world.[7]
