Wow - Hobby Hardwood is Listed as Number 1 Hardwood Retailer in Alabama

[YellowHammer]

One of our customers came in today and congratulated us and said that we had been listed as the top retail hardwood lumber supplier in Alabama by Home Woodworker.com, a national website that does woodworking "stuff".  Wow.  We even beat out Woodcraft in Birmingham.  So far we have 98 Google five star reviews and 1 four star review.  

Anyway, I had to brag little and thought some folks would be interested in this.  It shows that if we can do it, anybody can do it.  As mentioned in another topic just a few days ago, it all started with a little hand crank LT-15.  

Here are a couple excerpts from the article:



 

 


 

  

[thecfarm]

See what some smarts and a bunch of hard work will do??
 Maybe that's why not many are doing it.  ;)

[Southside]

Congratulations, well deserved!!  

[Ljohnsaw]

You thought you were busy before... 8)
Congratulation!

[Larry]

Great job!  I'm impressed. 8) 8)

[WV Sawmiller]

Congratulations Robert. I am surprised it is not the whole South or even a larger venue. 8)

[Old Greenhorn]

This is not a surprise for some of us, including me. I have known for a while you guys are top notch. BTW, you are not bragging when you state a fact. ;D Good on ya', well deserved!

[Jeff]

Y'all certainly deserve it. 

[trimguy]

Congratulations !

[newoodguy78]

That's an accomplishment to be proud of. Congratulations on your efforts. 

[Walnut Beast]

It goes to show that when you have dreams and visions along with constantly learning and hard work with a little time and patience that anything can be accomplished. And in return have shared your vast knowledge with everyone. Very much appreciated and respected.

                  CONGRATULATIONS!

[mike_belben]

 8)

[Downstream]

Excellent news and congratulations!  always nice to see domestic/local business focused on providing high quality products and service be recognized by the market they serve.  And you still have time to hang with us commoners and from time to time.  :D :D :D

[barbender]

That is awesome! But I have to disagree on one point, Robert- just because you did it doesn't mean anyone can😊 You have a rare drive and gift for organization IMO. Congratulations for how it is all bearing fruit!

[caveman]

You and Martha have done well.  I have enjoyed watching the progression of the business over the years on the Forestry Forum, videos and on your website.  JohnM quotes you while making a point to me at least once every day that we work with the sawmill or wood.

One of these days we need to take a road trip to see Hobby Hardwood.  If we do, we'll likely have another slide down the slippery slope.

[Ianab]

From the Woodworking side, they are always crying out for places to buy decent wood, without 3 middlemen (and the markups that entails). 

So it's a business model that can work. But it takes hard (and smart) work to make it happen (and still make a profit  ;) )

So yeah, awesome job  8)

[olcowhand]

Anyway, I had to brag little and thought some folks would be interested in this.

My Dad always said: "If you can do it, it ain't Bragging!".... Congratulations!

[SawyerTed]

Congratulations!  You did it the old fashioned way. You earned it!  That's something to be proud of and nobody thinks you are bragging.  

[customsawyer]

Congratulations!!!! Y'all put in the effort to get there and it shows. I'm stoked for you guys.

[kelLOGg]

Doesn't surprise me. He has been very responsive to my PMs.
(That's personal messages, not PMS)

[Peter Drouin]

 

[YellowHammer]

I appreciate all the sentiments.  Much credit goes to this Forum, Jeff, all the Admins and the Forum members who keep the Forum running cleanly and professionally. This is the only Forum I participate in, although I occasionally peek in on others, at some point I get turned off from them and walk on.  Life is too short to deal with negativity, hostility and stupidity.  Plus, I'm always learning something here, there are folks here who know a lot more than I do, so I look forward to logging on in the morning.    

The folks on this Forum are first class, and I enjoy participating and talking to the members, many of whom have grown to be close friends.  

 

[WV Sawmiller]

   Don't forget to remind everyone to eat their grits,  boiled peanuts and Black-eyed peas. :D A good breakfast, lunch and snack is essential to a productive work environment. ;)

[WDH]

Robert, I am proud of you and Martha!

[YellowHammer]

That's a fact, lots of people ask how they can do this too, and I tell them they'd better find a Martha, or they don't have a chance!

Grits?  Black eyed peas?  I eat Zaxby's and Fajita's!

[21incher]

Congratulations.  You worked  hard and deserve it. I am sure  your  being a mentor on the forestry forum has  given others  the confidence to follow in your  footsteps and be successful in their pursuit of forestry related  ventures also.  smiley_clapping smiley_clapping.

[Resonator]

[Andries]

Well done Robert and Martha!
I saw Martha having a hip hop moment while running lumber thru the rip saw - not only are you two a success, you're happy too.
A rare combo, congratulations!

[YellowHammer]

She loves that SLR, that's her happy place.  

Some folks might not have seen this video that Martha, my daughter Christine, and I made many years ago with our LT-15. The video is old and grainy, the sound track is terrible, it was the first log of the day, and we rolled it off the back of the mill.  

For all the folks who have wives and kids, it was a typical reaction as my wife laughed and my daughter immediately blamed me. :D :D  

It was hilarious and we still watch the video occasionally to have a good laugh at ourself to keep us from getting the "big head."

Good times.

Funny Woodmizer LT15 Humble Beginnings - Sawmill Fail - Hilarious - YouTube

[farmfromkansas]

The wives have a huge impact.  Look at my most successful neighbors, they have wives who are very helpful. Have one neighbor whose wife is a nurse, and she drives a silage truck any time she can, and will get out of her vehicle and go out and help work cattle. She fixes lunch so they can just warm it up at noon. I've been invited to stay for lunch and she does good even when she's not home.

[Jeff]

That was awesome! :D

[firefighter ontheside]

Wow!  Must be doing something right.

[Nebraska]

 smiley_clapping You must've been a rocket scientist or something in a previous life. Good on you guys!

[moodnacreek]

I'm sure you earned it, congratulations.

[Ron Scott]

Well done!

[YellowHammer]

Here is one of the pictures I'm most proud.

I took this now faded Polaroid photo of my whole world, when we were young, just out of school, with pretty much everything we had.  My wife, Martha, pregnant with our second child, and my oldest daughter sitting out on our redneck back deck, a converted utility trailer, watching my dog JoJo run around in the mud.  We later sold the mobile home for $4,500 and was happy to get it.

Of course, we had a lot of good breaks along the way, worked hard, and had fun.  

We weren't poor, but didn't have lots of money.  We graduated college, became engineers in an aerospace town, and kept trying to do our own thing.  It was good times.  

Things have changed a little since then.  


 

[Nebraska]

That's beautiful...  Looks like the Good Lord blessed you real well in that picture Robert.  A young family is  the greatest treasure, you were rich back then.

[customsawyer]

Those different colored rims don't look DOT approved. Just saying.

[Roxie]

Getting to number one is amazing. Sharing the look backward is priceless!  Thank you. 

[WDH]

Those OSHA approved steps look just like the ones on the trailer that we rented when my wife and I started our journey. 

[YellowHammer]

I think the steps came from the same mobile home dealer where I bought the high class mobile home.  They were probably a lot like yours, Danny, not really built for use, but they served their purpose.  I eventually just moved the utility trailer right up next to the door as a true back porch.  Everybody loved my redenck back deck.  Nothing but the best for us!

Our mobile home had special hole in the floor where the cat could get inside by crawling up under shower stall and pop out from the closet.  So I never had to get out of the chair to let the cat in or out, it was great!

I remember that the trailer still had the tongue and tail lights on it when it was delivered, and one Christmas I was chided for not getting into the spirit of things and was "told" to hang some strings of lights outside.  Well, I did it even better, I hooked up the taillights of both the mobile home and the utility trailer to an old boat battery charger and it looked great!  Instant Christmas Spirit!

I still remember to this day when we sold the trailer to another young couple, just starting out like us.  It was a good trailer, but I was glad to see it roll off in a cloud of dropping and blowing insulation. 

I'm glad Jake caught the DOT trailer tires, I had gotten the flatbed trailer at a real good price from a buddy of mine who had "kind of" run the side into a culvert or something, not sure what, and blew tires and rims.  So I went to a local junkyard and got four new tires and rims for $15 each so replaced them all!  Score!  Unfortunately, the colors on them didn't match but I figure they complimented the slightly bent axles anyway.
  

[SawyerTed]

That video is priceless!  And your daughter didn't hesitate not even a second, "Daddy!"   I noticed that because I have an Emily who has been by my side and blessed me with two daughters who treat me exactly the same way!   :D :D  My son not so much, he's too much like me. :D

[wesdor]

Congratulations on a well deserved honor. Have subscribed on YouTube and love the way you share your wisdom (from experience) both on YouTube and here. 
Thanks for being one of the many quality members here at FF

[samandothers]

Is the article framed and, on the wall, yet, and/or copies of the magazine scattered around the place?

Who is the dark headed guy in the video?

This is great and well-deserved recognition for you and the family!

[fluidpowerpro]

Congratulations on your accomplishment. 

[Sixacresand]

Congratulations.  You and your Family did good.

[Ed_K]

 Way to go  8) .

[YellowHammer]

Who is the dark headed guy in the video?

I appreciate all the compliments from everyone.
I was a lot younger when I didn't have all the gray in my hair and I had no idea where that little sawmill would take me.
   

[samandothers]

Who is the dark headed guy in the video?

I appreciate all the compliments from everyone.
I was a lot younger when I didn't have all the gray in my hair and I had no idea where that little sawmill would take me.
 

With gray comes knowledge, wisdom and enhanced skill.  That has helped tribute to the success, great job!