Welcome to Vansons Woodshop
And thanks for stopping by. My name is Ethan VanDette and I’m the happy bearded guy in the picture above. Special education teacher by day and carpenter by evenings, weekends, and summers.
At the age of six I started my first job cleaning my dad’s shop for spare change. He had started a custom carpentry business from the basement of our 1820's Ohio farmhouse. Before words like "artisinal" became cliche he taught my siblings and I the excitement of designing a project and working tirelessly to make the idea a reality.
He’s semi-retired now taking on small projects and driving a school bus in the same district where I teach. Recently, my son Luke turned six and it felt like time to start again.
My family and I are thrilled to embark on this exciting journey bringing unique handmade wood items from our home to yours. In our shop, you will find a diverse selection of traditional pieces as well as those made from salvaged and reclaimed wood.
My dad (who is Papa Tom now) partners with me for many items which are marked in our shop accordingly. My wife Katie acts as designer, organizer, and helps out in the shop with sanding and finishing when we are going too slow.
And of course…
Luke vacuums for spare change.
What’s in a name?
In the 1960’s, my grandfather George VanDette started a family restaurant in Monroeville, Ohio serving up classics such as the “king of the road” half pound cheeseburger with all the fixings and “kitch’n cook’d” fried chicken.
In the early 1990’s, my dad Tom VanDette re-purposed the name for his custom design and millwork business. Many of his projects are still visible in local churches, libraries, and businesses in our Ohio town.
I’m both excited and proud to keep the tradition going and revive the name once again!