Article By: Jeffery Marcum
Photos By: Josh Triggs
An old adage states that “Variety is the spice of life.” Most of us demand variety. We want options and crave individuality. We want it our way instead of being forced into what others have chosen. This is true in the clothes that we wear, the way we order our food at restaurants, and how we decorate our homes. We expect to be able to customize our lives.
Of course, this is not always an easy task. Most stores have limited options. You may have to go from store to store to get what you want, or order something from the internet instead of a local company. Furniture stores are no exception. They are stocked with mass-produced items that may not be the right size, or the right color, or the right material. Often there is no opportunity for individuality because the furniture is made from a pattern in a factory. So, you’re left to wander to the next store in hopes that you will find exactly what you want.
Todd Gladfelter, owner of Worthy’s Run Furniture, is here to help. Todd custom builds the furniture that you want. Most of his current business is kitchen islands, but he has also built tables, benches, buffets, and sink basins. You decide the dimensions, the colors, the materials, and the style. You also decide what options you want. Todd is there to guide you and make sure that you get exactly what you want.
Todd started his business as a part-time job several years ago. He took what he learned from shop class in high school, and his experience building homes around Mount Snow in Vermont, along with his experience repairing antique furniture for his wife’s shop, and turned a hobby into a business that he enjoys going to every day. He started by using his two-car garage in Hedgesville as a shop and sold his wares on the internet. He set up a shop on Etsy (Worthy’s Run Furniture) and created a web page at Worthysrunfurniture.com to interact with customers.
Recently, Todd has outgrown his garage and is currently renting space in Hagerstown. He has hired two more full-time employees and has another who works part-time as a painter. He also has customers all across the United States. With all of this rapid growth, Todd is optimistic about his future, but has to remain cautious. “It was a little bit of a learning curve moving into a bigger space,” Todd admitted. He can no longer walk just a dozen steps to get to his workshop. The larger area means more projects can be built at a time, increasing the volume of production. The extra employees means that everyone has to understand their part in the process for the workshop to run smoothly. Luckily, he has been friends with his first hire for most of his life.
Everything that is made at Worthy’s Run Furniture is custom made by hand. Some customers come in with a drawing in hand. Others come with questions and a vague idea. Todd is happy to work with all of them. He has also worked with local contractors for new builds or remodels, and with interior designers. The customer is in charge of the design phase, picking everything from style to special features like a wine rack or a drawer to hide a kitchen garbage can. Worthy’s Run Furniture is able to build exactly what you want.
Todd and his team use only the highest quality lumber for their builds. Most of their lumber comes from the sawmill in nearby Hicksville. Occasionally, reclaimed wood is used to give furniture a more vintage look. You won’t find particle board or MDF in any of the furniture they produce. What you will find is furniture that is made to be functional and also made to last. These are pieces that can be handed down to children and grandchildren. Because everything is tailored to the exact needs of the customer, and all work is done by hand, typical turnaround time from purchase to completion is six to eight weeks. This allows for the highest quality of work, from the selection of wood to several applications of General Finishes Milk Paint. Each piece is given the individual attention it deserves.
Internet sales account for most of the business at Worthy’s Run Furniture. While they do not yet have a showroom, they do have a strong internet presence. This allows them to find customers all across the United States. Orders are packaged at the workshop and have been sent as far away as Washington state. But Todd hopes to open a showroom soon to help support local sales. With all of the new construction in the area, and the current remodeling craze, he feels like he can fill a need for quality, customizable furniture in the four-state region.
Word of mouth is another important tool Todd uses to find customers. If you build a beautiful, quality product at a fair price, customers are bound to share with their friends. You can also find customer reviews and pictures of previous pieces on Etsy and on the company website.
Eventually, Todd hopes to expand to other pieces of furniture as the business grows. While custom kitchen islands are currently in vogue and account for the majority of the business, Todd envisions offering pantries, broom closets, kitchen cabinets, and just about any other piece that a customer may want. He understands the need to follow the demand of the market.
Along with building a quality product in the community, Todd feels that it is important to give back. Part of Worthy’s Run Furniture’s mission is to help others. The company currently has two charities that they support, Compassion International, a child-advocacy ministry that pairs compassionate people with those who are suffering from poverty, and Our Rescue, an organization formed in 2013 to help end child sex trafficking. You can find out more about both of these organizations at Worthysrunfurniture.com.
Overall, Todd and his team offer individually tailored furniture that meets all of your needs. “We build a good, solid piece of furniture that is completely customizable,” states Todd. So, if you are in the market for furniture that will last for generations, will be exactly what you want, and won’t cost a fortune, look up Worthy’s Run Furniture on Etsy or visit their website. You won’t find a better deal.
