Rising Stars: Meet Aaron Lucas of South Carolina

Today we’d like to introduce you to Aaron Lucas.

Hi Aaron, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today.
I grew up the son of a General Contractor / Cabinet maker. I have always been around making and creating. In my mid 20’s, I began doing quite a few “projects” for the different companies I worked for over the years, which helped me start focusing on a particular field. It was not woodworking. It was brewing Beer. After brewing school, I took a position as beverage director for a restaurant group while trying to raise money for a brewery. The “projects” continued for myriad locations as the Brewery endeavor became increasingly unlikely. Tired of the F&B pace and hours, I hungered for something more tangibly satisfying. With loads of contacts in the Charleston, SC, restaurant scene, and relationships with breweries around the country, I decided to leap. My future wife and I were living in the second-story apartment of a row house in Downtown Charleston, and our small 4’x8′ porch and living room became my shop. I started working on service pieces for restaurants, tap handles, and event pieces for breweries in this small space.

I have been very fortunate over the years to rub shoulders with some pretty amazing people, and a Chef buddy of mine had recently opened another restaurant in Charleston, Husk. He was going to showcase some amazing pork and wanted a tableside presentation box for knives when someone ordered the pork. I carved out some boxes using old heart pine salvaged from an 1800s Charleston home and went on my way. Chairs, tables, bar tops, tap handles, serving trays, jockey box covers, and the list kept me busy. One day I was having lunch at Closed for Business, where I had been the Beer Program Director, and the phone rang. My brother, the bartender at the time, looked over at me and said, hey, it’s for you. I had not worked there in over a year, so it caught me off guard.

I politely listened. The lady said they had some restaurants and that the VP had seen my knife boxes and was curious about maybe getting a few boxes for each location. I politely said sure, but I am on my lunch break, shoot me an email, and I will get back to you. A few minutes later, my phone beeped with a new email. It was from the woman I had just spoken with. I read the email, saw the signature line, and finished lunch. I asked my brother if he had ever heard of “Ruth’s Chris Steak House” because I had not. He had not either. We googled and felt like I had my entire foot in my mouth. They were pretty snazzy and had a whole lot of locations. I did mental math real quick. My first box had taken 22 hours and was brutal to hand chisel from heart pine. This company had over a hundred locations. I was going to be busy. That phone call turned into a 7-year commission with new locations needing boxes as they opened. It helped me to upgrade my shop and all of my tools and taught me how to set up what I call my “Ford Factory Style” small shop assembly line. I had already done small piece commissions in the hundred, but nothing this complex. It helped me to grow as a business owner and maker. After that died down, I went back to my normal routine. And then there were children. We were expecting our 2nd, a little girl, and I was offered the role of GM at a sawmill. I happily took the position and continued doing select jobs out of my shop. After 3 years, I decided to reopen my shop with a focus on furniture, not production and not small pieces, and I started to pursue the art of Luthier. As of today, I am on the cusp of being able to devote myself fully to guitars. I am still a one-person shop. It is behind my home, and I love every minute of it. I just received the first half of a 2 restaurant order, 26 Sapele tables, for the new Taco Boys opening in Asheville. Fingers crossed, this time next year, it will be all Lutherie.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Smooth., ha Learning to do anything professionally is a struggle. My father had given me a great foundation to grow from, but I mostly taught myself what I knew through trial and error. The error typically results in financial loss. Creating products, I would be willing to buy at the price I charge makes me set the bar high. But this benchmark means I am constantly challenging myself, which helps prevent the work from becoming redundant. Developing the ability to navigate self-, stay on task, and meet deadlines took years. Throw kids into the mix; now it’s not just the wife and me; I need to make a buck because these kiddos are hungry. The biggest way I have learned to overcome struggles and problems is by practicing humility and never being afraid to reach out to those with the answers. Most of the time, people are friendly and stoked to discuss stuff.

Thanks – so, what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
Artis/Craftsman/Wood Nut is sometimes a mixed medium, but I mainly focus on wood. I try to utilize local and sustainable materials whenever and wherever possible. My specialty seems to be items people cannot find after exhausting Google. i.e., Yoni boxes, kveik ring, all kinds of stuff. My favorite piece I made was for a traveling baker and educator. I reproduced a late 1700s dough-proofing box that could be broken down and stored inside of itself for travel. I am just nutty enough to keep people on their toes. I have a good eye and understand species, customers’ needs, and how to combine the two.

What matters most to you? Why?
My Children. I hope they learn a strong work ethic and can-do mentality as they grow from watching me over the years. It is important to ensure time and involvement as they grow and not be swallowed by the self-employed world. Through repetition, they will learn the importance of attention to detail and patience. Woodworking can be a great way to slow yourself down in an ever more hectic world. Giving you the time to appreciate the materials and project you may be working on and everything around you. I hope my children can take away some of the tools I have learned through woodworking to help me learn to cope in an ever-complicated world.

Pricing:

• Hourly pricing on most projects
• Larger orders can receive price breaks

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aaronlucasdesigns/?hl=en
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100048675643571

Image Credits
Photos by Aaron Lucas