Daily Local News (West Chester, PA)
Campbell’s specializes in custom cabinets
Campbell’s Custom Woodworks specializes in custom made cabinets and woodworking
WEST POTTSGROVE » Josh Campbell grew up around the smell of sawdust and wood stain and the sounds of saws and other tools used in woodworking.
Growing up in Pottstown, he had easy access to a woodshop — at the bottom of the basement stairs in his childhood home.
“It’s just something that my brother and I were raised around. If we wanted to build something we went down to the basement and built it,” said Campbell. “It’s something I have always been around, always enjoyed.”
When Campbell was considering what he wanted to do as a career, he turned to woodworking.
“A lot of my woodworking experience is self-taught or handed down. It is all I’ve done since high school,” he said. “I went into construction when I was 19 — as a carpenter apprentice. I went out on my own when I was 26.”
Campbell spent 16 years as a self-employed contractor — but said opening his own shop had been a long-time goal. Once he made the decision to take that next step — he said it took about three years to make it happen.
Once he lined up the financing to get started and found the building at 62 Lemon Street in West Pottsgrove, Campbell was ready to go.
Last year — he opened Campbell’s Custom Woodworks LLC, a custom cabinet and woodworking business that specializes in building and remodeling kitchens and baths, as well as closets, bars, home offices entertainment centers and more.
“Just about anything wood that goes in someone’s house — chances are I can build it,” he said.
Campbell’s Custom Woodworks features a 3,000 squarefoot shop and another 1,000 square-foot showroom. Campbell has one full-time employee.
He works directly with homeowners on remodeling projects and builds cabinets for contractors.
Everything is custom made.
Campbell said if he’s working for a contractor, he can build and deliver three to four kitchens per month depending on the size.
“If the projects are completely ours and we’re building the kitchen and doing all the remodel work, it can take several weeks between the time here and the time onsite,” he explained.
Campbell uses 20-20 3D Design software to create renderings of what the finished project will be.
Campbell said there are several advantages to using a local craftsman. He said something that sets him apart is the materials he uses — “the best plywoods out there” — to build his products.
“Most of the big manufacturers are still using flake board, or they’re using MDF (medium density fiberboard) which is basically compressed cardboard,” he said, adding that customers generally don’t realize that’s what they’re buying. “I’m using domestic hardwood plywood, stamped ‘Made in the USA.’”
Campbell uses maple, red oak, hickory, pine, walnut and cherry to make his products.
“These cabinets are solid and will last a lifetime,” he added.
Another advantage of using a local craftsman, according to Campbell, is the construction. The cabinets are custom made — to fit the exact space and the customer’s needs and wants, he said.
“When you come to a cabinet shop — you will find the construction is better. Customers get an overall better product,” he said.
Campbell characterizes his first year in business as “very busy and very challenging.”
He said that no matter how busy the shop is, he finds there are a “million” things to do.
“If we’re booked with work I’ll be in the shop all day building and then doing the things to run the business during evenings and on weekends. If the shop’s slow then I’m spending all my time trying to expand our customer base, get jobs in and make new contacts.”
There have been some challenges, he said, including moving the business forward, building business relationships and getting noticed by potential customers.
“You can be on all the search engines, on Facebook, and advertise, but you’re a new name in an old industry and not everyone is going to take you seriously being such a young company,” he said.
Campbell networks with the contractors he has worked with in the past, is building relationships with local builders and remodelers and increasing his visibility. He recently painted the building on Lemon Street and installed a sign, and became a sponsor for Coventry Little League. A website and Facebook page have helped to bring in customers.
In addition, Campbell is getting ready to add a financing option for customers. Details are still being worked out, but Campbell expects that option to be in place shortly.
Campbell said that during the course of the year, he expanded the parameters of the work he is doing.
“I realized this is a commercial woodshop capable of providing a lot of different services,” he said.
While building his connections, Campbell found a local company that was outsourcing part of its production to a company two hours away.
“We talked, and now I handle their finishing work,” he said, adding that it keeps the work local.
He also has contractors who bring work to the shop to make use of the equipment he has — saving them some time at the job sites.
Campbell learned during the holidays last year that people don’t want to tear out and replace their kitchens during the Thanksgiving and the Christmas holidays. He continues to explore some other custom woodworking options to fill that slower time.
One of those options is custom made wooden dog crates that Campbell constructs that look more like dog furniture than a pet accessory.
“And last year I made some jewelry boxes as gifts. I didn’t sell them, but put pictures online and got some good feedback.” As a result, Campbell is considering selling the jewelry boxes in the fall.
For more information about Campbell’s Custom Woodworks LLC, visit http://www.campbellscw. com or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/Campbells-Custom-WoodworksLLC-961437927271396.
“Just about anything wood that goes in someone’s house — chances are I can build it.” — Josh Campbell, owner, Campbell’s Custom Woodworks, LLC