News
ENLARGE
Each week the Free Press profiles a local business that has used the services of The Business Incubator Center, a nonprofit organization that provides entrepreneurial assistance to new and expanding businesses in Mesa County.
GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. — Custom woodworker Kyle Berger snowboarded frequently as a high school student.
Now a successful business owner, Berger, 32, skateboards down hallways every day in The Business Incubator Center’s manufacturing building, where Timeless Millworks, a custom woodworking business, is located.
When Berger began building custom cabinets and other wood products for himself seven years ago, he worked out of a two-car garage at home. In 2004, his longtime friend Bob Jarvis, 35, a former Boulder general contractor, went into business with Berger. The two continued to work in the garage for the next six months.
Two people working in a 400-square-foot space with machinery was a bit crowded, Berger said.
“I called Thea Chase (former director of the Incubator) every week for a year seeking space,” Berger said.
Finally, a 600-square-foot room became available. “We took that 600 square feet,” Berger said. “We were happy.”
The Business Incubator, 2591 B 1/2 Road, is a nonprofit organization that provides affordable rental space, free consulting and low-cost training, plus business loans to start-up and expanding businesses in Mesa County.
“Whenever a room came available, we’d grab it, until we were 1,400 square feet,” Berger said. “We were spread out all over the place.”
Then one of the Incubator businesses left its manufacturing building and Timeless Millworks expanded more, to 6,000 square feet.
Hence, the skateboards.
“It’s our transportation around this big building,” Berger said.
Berger, Jarvis and another partner, 34-year-old Triston Arisawa, along with four employees, build custom cabinets, custom moldings and trim, flooring, stairs (including a spiral staircase), furniture pieces, closets and garage storage cabinets.
And they were recently commissioned to build wooden urns in the shape of coffins for a Western Slope business.
“We work with a lot of creative designers who come up with a lot of interesting pieces,” Berger said.
It’s functional art, Jarvis said.
Berger leaned his trade by working with Tim Lincoln of Lincoln Cabinets in Palisade for five years.
Jarvis took four years of shop in high school where he learned woodworking.
“I always liked it. I’d do it at home in my garage,” Jarvis said.
He learned more on his remodeling jobs in Boulder, and then acquired more skills from Berger.
Arisawa joined the company in the past year bringing computer numerical control technology to the business, which allows custom-designed pieces to be cut out quickly.
All three men are Grand Junction natives who grew up together.
Even their employees are more like partners, Berger said. Everyone works well and collaborates together, he said.
The young businessmen have reaped more than affordable rental space from the Incubator.
When the owners disagreed last year on how to set up the shop (there are six rooms, where different functions take place) they sought counseling from the Incubator on how to determine their “process flow.”
Another counselor put the business in contact with the Cabinet Makers Association, “which really changed our lives,” Jarvis said.
“That opened the door to the whole woodworkers industry. It got us going to trade shows, networking with them.”
The owners have also taken classes at the Incubator on bookkeeping, taxes, QuickBooks and managing a business.
“We have tenant luncheons (catered by an Incubator catering business) every month,” where someone gives a talk on marketing, Berger said.
Berger sends his whole crew to the luncheons.
The business also used the Incubator recently for a line of credit on the recommendation of Director Chris Reddin. The loan is a precautionary measure, in case the economy worsens, to balance cash flow, Berger said.
Meanwhile, business is good with customers in Grand Junction, Aspen, Crested Butte, Edwards and Telluride.
Berger came up with the name Timeless Millworks after he built kitchen cabinets for Grand Junction client James Pulsipher.
“He kept saying over and over, how it was a ‘timeless piece of art that would never go out of style,’” Berger said.
Timeless Millworks can be reached at 254-9491 or TimelessMillworks@hotmail.com.
Reach Sharon Sullivan at ssullivan@gjfreepress.com.
GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. — Custom woodworker Kyle Berger snowboarded frequently as a high school student.
Now a successful business owner, Berger, 32, skateboards down hallways every day in The Business Incubator Center’s manufacturing building, where Timeless Millworks, a custom woodworking business, is located.
When Berger began building custom cabinets and other wood products for himself seven years ago, he worked out of a two-car garage at home. In 2004, his longtime friend Bob Jarvis, 35, a former Boulder general contractor, went into business with Berger. The two continued to work in the garage for the next six months.
Two people working in a 400-square-foot space with machinery was a bit crowded, Berger said.
“I called Thea Chase (former director of the Incubator) every week for a year seeking space,” Berger said.
Finally, a 600-square-foot room became available. “We took that 600 square feet,” Berger said. “We were happy.”
The Business Incubator, 2591 B 1/2 Road, is a nonprofit organization that provides affordable rental space, free consulting and low-cost training, plus business loans to start-up and expanding businesses in Mesa County.
“Whenever a room came available, we’d grab it, until we were 1,400 square feet,” Berger said. “We were spread out all over the place.”
Then one of the Incubator businesses left its manufacturing building and Timeless Millworks expanded more, to 6,000 square feet.
Hence, the skateboards.
“It’s our transportation around this big building,” Berger said.
Berger, Jarvis and another partner, 34-year-old Triston Arisawa, along with four employees, build custom cabinets, custom moldings and trim, flooring, stairs (including a spiral staircase), furniture pieces, closets and garage storage cabinets.
And they were recently commissioned to build wooden urns in the shape of coffins for a Western Slope business.
“We work with a lot of creative designers who come up with a lot of interesting pieces,” Berger said.
It’s functional art, Jarvis said.
Berger leaned his trade by working with Tim Lincoln of Lincoln Cabinets in Palisade for five years.
Jarvis took four years of shop in high school where he learned woodworking.
“I always liked it. I’d do it at home in my garage,” Jarvis said.
He learned more on his remodeling jobs in Boulder, and then acquired more skills from Berger.
Arisawa joined the company in the past year bringing computer numerical control technology to the business, which allows custom-designed pieces to be cut out quickly.
All three men are Grand Junction natives who grew up together.
Even their employees are more like partners, Berger said. Everyone works well and collaborates together, he said.
The young businessmen have reaped more than affordable rental space from the Incubator.
When the owners disagreed last year on how to set up the shop (there are six rooms, where different functions take place) they sought counseling from the Incubator on how to determine their “process flow.”
Another counselor put the business in contact with the Cabinet Makers Association, “which really changed our lives,” Jarvis said.
“That opened the door to the whole woodworkers industry. It got us going to trade shows, networking with them.”
The owners have also taken classes at the Incubator on bookkeeping, taxes, QuickBooks and managing a business.
“We have tenant luncheons (catered by an Incubator catering business) every month,” where someone gives a talk on marketing, Berger said.
Berger sends his whole crew to the luncheons.
The business also used the Incubator recently for a line of credit on the recommendation of Director Chris Reddin. The loan is a precautionary measure, in case the economy worsens, to balance cash flow, Berger said.
Meanwhile, business is good with customers in Grand Junction, Aspen, Crested Butte, Edwards and Telluride.
Berger came up with the name Timeless Millworks after he built kitchen cabinets for Grand Junction client James Pulsipher.
“He kept saying over and over, how it was a ‘timeless piece of art that would never go out of style,’” Berger said.
Timeless Millworks can be reached at 254-9491 or TimelessMillworks@hotmail.com.
Reach Sharon Sullivan at ssullivan@gjfreepress.com.
