HOW: We, my husband Bill and I, made our first cutting boards for our wedding. We wanted a personalized and sentimental way to display cheese, and came up with state-shaped cutting boards for each of our home states (Michigan and Connecticut), with hearts on our hometowns. People really liked them and the seed of American Heirloom was planted. Through a ton of late nights and hard work, we have grown it into the bustling business that it is today, offering a range of tabletop pieces. Each of these pieces are tested in our home and we design with that in mind.
WHY: Both Bill and I wanted to create housewares infused with sentiment. Ideally, these pieces will become your family heirlooms and be passed down through generations. That is why design and quality are so important to us.
We found that our customers are proud of where they are from and enjoy showing it off. They are also great gifts for those who have moved from their home state, they can take a bit of home with them. Everyone is so mobile these days, they make great going away gifts, housewarming and wedding gifts. We can further personalize the orders with our two trusty laser etchers that we run in the Brooklyn Navy Yard.
There is no easy answer to that one. It is great and tough all at the same time. Of course it is wonderful to be able to make and sell a product that I have designed and produced myself. There is no greater joy than seeing someone enjoy the product that I have poured my heart and soul into for that past few years. And the flexibility that owning my own business affords me is helpful for someone with two kids like myself.
At the same time, it is very hard. There is always something new to learn and apply. The long hours and stress can be oppressive sometimes. It's important to surround yourself with the right people, whether in the office or remotely. I am learning more and more that a great team can make or break the progress of your work. Running your own business is not for the faint of heart, it takes a lot of sustained passion and serious persistence. The nature of an online business changes so quickly year to year, it's a challenge to keep up with changing social media, new sales platforms, etc.
While I am the driving force behind all of the creative parts of the business, it truly does take a village and I couldn't put it all together without these folks: Our photography is done by several photographers over the years, Whitney Ott, Alyssa Kirsten Photography, Matt Novak our long time neighbor Layo Manoli. All graphic design work is done by Avis Wampler of Avie Designs and Ben Wagner. They keep the visions coherent and fresh. We would be lost without them all!
Our products are lovingly made and personalized by our team in our Brooklyn studio so our turn around time is usually 2 weeks. But it does depend on which item you order.
There is no simple answer to this one. Usually, you guys keeps us so busy that we cannot but please contact us if you need your item quickly because we may be able to accommodate you. A great deal of the hardwood boards are ready to ship next day, so those are an easy option for those with a tight deadline.
Yes! We love to make larger sets of our boards. We work with lots of companies to create bulk orders for them and we would love to make them for you as well. Please contact us for pricing. We are often doing laser engraving of logos for corporate gifting each month. We like to book these spots as it gets pretty busy quickly!
Of Course! We do ship overseas and our shipping rate is calculated based on item size and weight. The starting price to the UK is $30.00 USPS priority mail. Delivery time also depends on the final destination.
Yes! We are happy to create custom shapes and custom laser engraving on our boards. If you can dream it up, we can probably make it for you. Please contact us and we will get started on your very own custom board.
We are always coming up with new ideas, products and patterns. There are lots of new products in the works so stay tuned, we'll let you know when they're ready.
