WoodCraft Closing

[Val Kosmider]

I moved to Tennessee about 18 months ago and one of the unplanned joys was the Woodcraft which was a couple miles down the road from me. The owners were very amiable folks, offered a good selection of reasonably priced products, had good hours, and had a wealth of advice and information when I had built myself into a corner.

After nearly one year of trying to sell the store, they announced on Friday that they will be closing the store and returning the franchise to Woodcraft (not renewing the franchise is the way they put it).

This comes as a startling blow. I have come to really depend on them and while I know that I pay a slight premium for some items, it is worth it to me just to have the resource so convenient to my location.

Where do I shop now>? We have the usual big box places , and a couple of Ace hardware stores. The mom and pop tool and/or hardware shops seem nonexistent. My nearest Woodcraft is now about 100 miles away--decent roads, but too far to go on Sunday afternoon when I need a specific router bit or a bottle of Trans Tint--neither of which are likely to be available locally.

Bottom line: I am bummed by this turn of events, and will have to scramble to find some things here, and some things there, in terms of supplies, tools and materials. I guess in a way they have forced me to turn to the interweb for my sourcing needs. I feel like I am in Alaska and have to plan weeks ahead of time for those special screws I might need!

I also wonder if this is a reflection, in general, that woodworking as a hobby is a dying activity. It costs so much to buy wood, tools and supplies that maybe people are finding other activities. Maybe it is, to some extent, generational: not a lot of instant gratification cutting a board or turning a bowl compared to certain electronic gadgets that seem to have captured todays sedentary population.

Rant off! Just expressing my dismay over the development. Seems like I have lost a significant part of my hobby!

[David Weaver]

That's the way it goes, I guess. We lost ours probably 5 years ago now. it just disappeared from its location with no fanfare.

Amazon Prime, McMaster Carr and BIN items on ebay are the way I go for a lot of stuff, though I have a rockler close, I often don't bother to go there for stuff like router bits of a very specific type - sometimes I do, though. Not necessarily because of price, but because I don't want to drive there and find out that they don't have a bit that's any closer than a 32nd to what I need.

[Scott Reed]

I know your frustration well. My local Woodcraft just closed on 1/12/14. It sucks! I have a klingspor's about 30 minutes from me and a WoodWorker's Supply about 40 minutes away but I greatly prefer Woodcraft. I'm not sure of why these stores are closing but I assume it's for the same reason most retail brick and mortar stores are having trouble: competing with Amazon and other internet sellers.

[glenn bradley]

My understanding is that the Woodcraft franchises are pretty restrictive. This may have contributed to the location's lack of success. I am sure there are many factors which we will never know that led to the decision to close.

As to the cost of woodworking as a hobby? I have been an official "enthusiast" for about a decade and have yet to spend anywhere near what I spent on golf. I have friends who fish seriously. What they spend on gear and outings makes me look like an amateur.

[Art Mann]

Was it the store in Franklin that closed? I was just there a couple of weeks ago.

[Val Kosmider]

Was it the store in Franklin that closed? I was just there a couple of weeks ago.

Johnson City, TN. A smaller market, to be sure. But it draws from Roanoke in the Northeast, to Knoxville in the Southwest. The store was open for ten years, and the owner wanted to retire...(again). There were two buyers, from what I understand, and they may not have passed muster (liquidity/background) with Woodcraft. In the end, they both bailed at pretty much the same time. My understanding is that the store 'was profitable'. I did not see the actual price tag, but I was told it was around seven figures.....but I do not know if that included the Franchise, or the lease on the building. I know it did include the complete inventory. The store always 'seemed' to be active.....but apparently, not 'active' enough for someone to buy it.

[shane lyall]

Val, That's my local store too. I'm in Kingsport and there isn't much here either. I do this for a living so I do buy some stuff wholesale but it was nice to be able to run and pick up this and that when I needed it. I spend every penny I can with local folks just for that reason. All my blade/knife/bit sharpening went out thru them as well, In fact, I just dropped off a spare set of planner knives yesterday. It will still go to the same sharpener but pick up/ drop off is going to the ACE across the street. As far as screws and a few other things, Fastenal is here in Kingsport and a Granger in JC if that helps

[Jim Rimmer]

You won't have the camaraderie or receive the good advice, but you can still buy from Woodcraft on-line. My nearest WC is 30 minutes on a toll road so unless I need something right now I order it. Gas and tolls are generally more than shipping.

You can always come here for advice and friendship.

[Jerry Thompson]

There is a WC in my area but it is about 30 miles of city driving. I hardly ever make a special trip there unless I really need something. I usually order from Highland Wood Working. It gets here fast and I do not have to risk traffic.

[Steve Rozmiarek]

I've never understood how the Woodcraft business model could work well. It's surprising that any of them can compete with the internet stores IMHO. I've never been in one though, so maybe I'm missing something.

[Rich Riddle]

The franchise Woodcraft in Cincinnati closed last year but corporate opened in the same location a short time later. Perhaps Woodcraft will choose that option for you. The Woodcraft store seems a bit higher than Rockler in our area, and that's saying a lot since Rockler isn't cheap by any means. Like many other hobbies, woodworkers might have cut back on purchases in the rougher economic times. The Woodcraft in Cincinnati has a footprint about eight to ten times that of Rockler yet the don't sell many more products.

[Dave Lehnert]

Like Rich said above. The owner of the Cincinnati Woodcraft was unable to sell so corporate opened it back up. Hope that happens in your case.
I have to say I have not set foot in the local Woodcraft in two years. It's only about 20- 30 min from home but not on my normal path. Woodcraft is so good about shipping, if I order before 2pm most times I have the package at my doorstep by 10am the next day.

[Sam Whit]

What did y'all buy most frequently at that store? Anything in particular that you'd really want to pick up local instead of catalog/web (besides cheap lumber )?

[David Weaver]

There certainly wasn't cheap lumber in mine. There is lower priced lumber sometimes at the local rockler, but it's often not worth having. The lumber in the wall racks is better quality, but it isn't included in the sales like the shorts and narrows of bad color, etc, that come in on the floor.

I went to woodcraft when it was here and bought two lie nielsen planes, IIRC, and I think I bought a gennou (japanese hammer). Other than that, it was hard to find anything in the store where the price was close enough to what I could get elsewhere to buy. The prices were too high, like someone said either here or in another thread, they were higher yet than rockler's and no coupons of any measurable amount.

It was otherwise too far away to drive for no reason only to be shocked by the prices.

That sounds cold, I suspect, but I will buy local if it's not much more. If it's much more, I won't.

[Bill Bukovec]

My wife says I should buy it.

While I run Woodcraft, she can run a fabric store next door. That way the woodworkers can shop at Woodcraft while the spouse can shop for fabric.

Heck, maybe I can find spot to open a 3D printing store. The only problem will be finding time for my own woodworking.

At least we will be I a warmer climate, without double digit below zero temperatures.

Stay warm everyone