Today we’d like to introduce you to Jacob Matz.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
Hello, we are Wicked Grain Custom Furniture a family owned custom furniture business from the heart of the Midwest (KC). We pride ourselves in making amazing, one-of-a kind, hand crafted pieces of furniture from live edge slabs, hardwoods, authentic barn-wood, and reclaimed wood. We love making custom pieces that are functional, affordable, and super cool!! All of our items are made to last and we stand by our work! We support local farmers and mill workers right here in the Midwest and ALL of our items are 100% made in the US! We can do a wide range of styles and types of furniture pieces, but all of our items have a rustic or natural feel to them. We love using organic shaped slabs, pieces of wood with cool grains/knots/character marks, and wood that has a story. If this is what you are looking for in an artist, then we are your shop! It would be an honor to bring your vision to life today, so please don’t hesitate to email or call us and we will work with you to make you an original piece. -Cheers! -Wicked Grain
****About the wood we use: The reclaimed wood we use with all of our pieces is all from the good “ole” state of Kansas. We drive hours into the countryside to meet with farmers and good old country boys to get the best deals on authentic 100+ year barn wood, old baseball bleacher wood, lodge siding, and kiln dried hardwoods. All hardwoods are kiln dried to below 6% and any imports such as claro walnut and monkey pod wood are certified and kiln dried too. We are definitely “green” in our approach and use eco-friendly products with all of our shop products and when sealing or treating each and every wood item. Call or email with any specific questions on products. Thank you!
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
The hardest thing is trying to find quality kiln dried hardwoods that can hold up to living conditions/climates all over the US. However; we have surrounded ourselves with a phenomenal team that consists of: a master metal worker, a skilled wood worker, a designer/art major, a lumber mill expert, and a marketing expert. We feel that we can tackle almost any challenge and if there is something that we feel is beyond our skill set, then we will be happy to assist you and point you in the right direction. We pride ourselves in making functional works of art that will last a life time. We know that memories are created and formed around tables and pieces of furniture. Our motto is ” priceless furniture for the everyday customer”. You shouldn’t have to be a millionaire to own a gorgeous slab or table, so we will work with you to find a piece that fits your budget!
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
Hello, this is Jacob and my shop manager Nick. We are true DIYers and have a passion for the arts and working with wood (such as live edge slabs, barn wood, and reclaimed wood). We love all of the possibilities that wood has to offer and the fact that it is a piece of history and was once alive is truly amazing! Wicked Grain “officially” started as a business 15 years ago out of a 2 car garage. What started off as a hobby, making smaller items for our homes or for friends and family members, quickly turned into a side business…then a FT business when we started getting tons of referrals and orders from customers across the KC Metro area and the MidWest. In 2012, I was introduced to Etsy through a family friend and decided to give it a try through one simple reclaimed bench posting. Within the first week, we were shocked by the amount of orders and positive support we received from our online customers. We quickly knew that we had something going and that we wanted to push this business to the fullest by incorporating more options, styles, and wood choices to our customers. We surrounded ourselves with a phenomenal team that consists of: a master metal worker, a skilled wood worker, a designer/art major, a teacher, and a marketing expert. We feel that we can tackle almost any challenge and if there is something that we feel is beyond our skill set, then we will be happy to assist you and point you in the right direction. We pride ourselves in making functional works of art that will last a life time. We know that memories are created and formed around tables and pieces of furniture and we are truly honored if you choose our team! We hope we can create something for you today and our motto is ” priceless furniture for the everyday customer”. You shouldn’t have to be a millionaire to own a gorgeous slab or table, so we will work with you to find a piece that fits your budget!
Do you have any advice for those looking to network or find a mentor?
We learned the hard way by being loyal to our partners, building relationships ad letting our work and customer service speak for itself. FB Marketplace and Google are awesome ways to connect with people in our area.
Pricing:
- 10% off any wood item for clients that mention this ad
- Free slab cutting boards for local clients
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.wickedgrain.com
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jacob.matz.73
- Other: https://www.etsy.com/shop/WickedGrain?ref=seller-platform-mcnav
