This week we’re talking with Mel Hordyk of Exotic Woods.
HISTORY
Exotic Woods has been a fixture in the woodworking industry since 1978. The company was started by Mel’s father when he realized the public’s desire for better quality wood. At the time there were plenty of generic designs in stores, but not really any fine wood shops.
Through the years, Exotic Woods has turned their focus less on cabinet and furniture making, and more towards wood sales. Starting with a smaller 1200 ft store, they’ve grown their space to a 20,000 sq ft building with an additional 30,000 sq ft of warehouse space. Here they sell all types of fine wood, flooring materials, European finishes, hard wax finishes, reactive stains, and of course, live edge lumber.
CUSTOMER SERVICE AND KNOWLEDGE
Mel credits the business’s growth and longevity to Exotic Wood’s knowledge-based customer service approach. Many people can sell lumber, but a lot of the time typical sales departments don’t know exactly what they’re selling when it comes to wood types and the best way to use them.
Mel also says, having extensive knowledge of the products that are being sold while continuing to learn and read up on new techniques is key.
HOW THEY HANDLE THE WOOD
Exotic Wood’s cuts wood to meet their client’s specific requests. At the shop they handle basic cutting, sanding, adding in cuts, or anything else that the client requests.
Milling a fair amount of logs, Exotic Woods also acquires raw materials and then outsources the rest to local woodworkers in the area.
OWNING SPACE
Mel and his team used to dream about taking over the space that they currently occupy. Interestingly enough, It so happened that when they were on the way to put an offer in on another building, they noticed this dream property had just gone up for sale! The purchase of this building, setting it up, and getting their flow going is definitely one of the company’s biggest accomplishments.
MARKETING
Currently, they outsource their marketing, sales generation, event promotion, and website updates to a company. Mel credits the marketing company as a huge proponent to what brought them to where they are now.
CHARITY WORK
For the past twenty years, Exotic Woods has partnered with Campfire, a program that helps children in the Northern Ontario area. In addition to this, they participate in other local charity events.
One such recent event that they helped put on is called “Guitar Days”. Seven years running, the idea came about from Mel’s staff and it stuck. Here they invite woodworkers to rent tables where they can set up and display their handmade guitars. In addition, they host speakers that educate the crowd on new techniques and provide all sorts of networking opportunities. With lunch served and tables going at $50 a piece, it’s a great event!
Beyond the event, Exotic Woods stays involved in this niche by offering a temperature controlled room that houses guitar parts and hosts products essential to these unique makers.
Hoping to apply this same model in their participation with other organizations, they’ll see what the future holds as far as other events.
LINKS MENTIONED
Website: exotic-woods.com/
Instagram: @exoticwoodsinc