Staff Writer
SMYRNA — The cedar limbs stacked outside Northeastern Rustic are rough and covered with strips of bark, but by the time the pieces enter the showroom, they’ve been transformed — their edges smoothed and shaped and their hues revealed with a glossy finish.
Pioneer Times Photo/Sarah Berthiaume
RUSTIC STYLE — At left, rocking chairs are on display at the front entrance of Northeastern Rustic in Smyrna. At right, top: cedar bedroom sets like those pictured here are a standard favorite with area customers; bottom right, this rustic-style table is made from walnut with hickory accents.
“The white cedar furniture is sturdy. It’s a good value and it’s made right here in Aroostook County from wood grown right here in Aroostook County,” explained Jason Kulp who operates the furniture business with Paul Esch.
White cedar furniture — including beds, dressers, side tables and more — is where Northeastern Rustic began in 2003. The business started on a small scale with Esch, but demand for the rustic-style pieces soon outpaced supply.
“I had an interest in doing the same thing so we put our heads together and started the shop here,” explained Kulp.
Kulp dedicated space near his Timony Lake Road home to build their shop and construction continued through the winter of 2006. By July 2007, production was up and running in the back rooms with a front room dedicated to showroom space.
While both men had previous carpentry experience, their work before Northeastern Rustic had mostly focused on construction and rough framing. Building on a smaller scale has meant a change of pace for both, but one that has developed into an obvious niche.
“You grow into it,” said Esch of the work.
While the shop now boasts a variety of pieces, everything from rockers and kitchen tables to couches and bedroom sets, their focus is dominated by a woodsy flair.
“We cater a lot to that market, the log home market and woodsy, camp kind of pieces,” said Esch.
In addition to their own cedar pieces, the shop offers walnut and red cedar furniture created by connected furniture makers in Michigan.
“These pieces give us some more variety,” explained Kulp, motioning to a walnut dining room table with hickory accents.
While both Esch and Kulp said they’d like to see the business grow, both seem content with their small business status.
“We hope to see it expand some, but we definitely want to keep it a small business,” said Esch.
For now, they’re enjoying the chance to meet customers from all over the area.
“Since we’ve opened, I’ve started catching on about just how many nice people there are in Aroostook County,” said Kulp.
Northeastern Rustic, located at 255 Timony Lake Road, is open weekdays from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturdays from 8 a.m. to noon. The shop is closed Sundays and Thursdays. For more information, they can also be reached by calling 757-8300.
