Producer Profile: Heritage Wood Designs

This month for our producer profile we had a conversation with Cal Mullet of Heritage Wood Designs. 

P/S:  How long have you been in the furniture business Cal?
Cal:  I've been doing furniture for 11 years now.  Before that I was a farmer.

P/S:  What kinds of things do you build?
Cal:  My main work is with kitchen cabinets and occasional tables.  I prefer making cabinets because each one is different and challenging.  Furniture is a "volume thing" but with cabinets you've got all these different styles and layouts...its interesting.  I started this business because I am a guy who likes a challenge.

P/S:  Is your family involved in your work in the shop?
Cal:  My wife Joanne does most of the paperwork, but that's it.  I've got four kids--3 girls and a boy--but they're not old enough to work in the shop yet.  If they're interested, they'll have an opportunity later on though!

P/S:  So do you have any other helpers?
Cal:  Right now I've got one employee.  I used to have three but things have gotten slow lately.  I might go back up to two again though.

P/S:  What else can you tell us about your family? 
Cal:   Well I was raised about 16 miles from where I live now.  I've got 6 brothers and 5 sisters.  Two of my brothers are twins, and they're also in the furniture business.  One of them builds bedroom furniture and the other one has a finish shop.  I've got my own finish shop, but my brother does some specialized work for me from time to time.  You may have seen these two at the expo...they look pretty much like me but with black hair [Cal has red hair].

P/S:  Do you have any new products this year?
Cal:  I've been getting requests for butcher blocks, so I've got a couple of those in the catalog now.  Also a new end table, sofa table, and coffee table in my Stick Mission line.  Lately I've been experimenting with some exotic woods.  For the expo I made a Shaker style sofa table out of Jatoba--its a very hard wood with a beautiful grain and color.  [Plain and Simple bought this table at the expo and its currently on the showroom floor].

P/S:  So what's your favorite thing about being in the furniture business?
Cal:  What I really like is that it lets me stay home with my family.  Working from home has always been my dream.  There are good times and bad times, but overall I just really enjoy what I'm doing.

P/S:  Well thanks for taking some time with us Cal.
Cal:  You bet.  Now you'll make sure I get a copy of this right?
P/S:  Of course we will.  Thanks again.