Gear Grove – Our Story
My husband and I married in 2009, had our first daughter at the end of that year, and moved into our new house a year later. The next two years were filled with home renovations and the birth of our second daughter. During these years, and many before, we worked regular, 8-5 jobs. I spent years in IT and my husband in Sales.
We often talked: If we could do anything, what would it be?
In 2012, we formed Gear Grove. It comes from our love of hand-crafted wood designs, and photography.
What’s to love about our design products?
Each one has a story; a story about where the wood came from, the ideas behind the designs, and when it was made. In other words, our customers know that the red oak bench they are sitting on was carefully made from a fallen tree from the north woods of Wisconsin. We like to think of it as a connection.
Most of the wood we use is repurposed or reclaimed. It often comes from the land at our cabin, shipping pallets, or salvaged from houses or buildings ready to be demolished. Our tables, benches, headboards, made from maple or oak, all have a history.
Our most inspirational project?
The Pavilion
Over a series of 3 months we, along with family, spent every weekend at our cabin to build what is now the gathering place for friends and family. Everyone worked tirelessly, salvaging trees, de-barking them by hand, and eventually standing them upright to hold up the structure. Those 6 trees are now the foundation of the pavilion, and on top of them are 8x8 beams lifted by a hand-made crane. The decking and shingled roof came next, followed by the bar and lighting.
A month later we had our annual party, and it rained. It rained all day. The pavilion had never had a greater use than to not only shield all of our guests from the weather, but to bring people closer together to enjoy that day, and each other’s company.
The idea of creating something with soul is what drives us. A table with old wood, aged, and imperfect, or that bench from the fallen tree now has life serving as a relaxation place.
A story and a promise, that all of our products are: Made from the heart with nature in mind.
We love what we do. We hope you love what you see.