The Beginning
In 1975, a store named the Yankee Carpenter opened for business in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan. It was a small unpainted furniture store with a limited selection of wood furniture.
In 1990, while working in a grocery store, a neighbor informed me of a job opportunity at the Yankee Carpenter. As an eager teenager, I met the store staff and was immediately hired as a furniture finisher and delivery driver. The small family atmosphere, strong commitment to customer service and high-quality products helped make this job a perfect fit for me.
Uh-OH!
After graduating high school, I continued to work at the Yankee Carpenter while pursuing a Culinary Arts degree. The business was doing well, the future looked bright and then the unthinkable happened. Ownership decided to sell the business and move out of state to pursue other opportunities. I remember sharing the heartbreaking news with my parents. Working at the Yankee Carpenter wasn’t just a job to me. It was a family of people who genuinely cared about each other and were committed to being the best.
As a rising business, there was a lot of acquisition interest which included some from “inferior” competitors. Finally, I got the dreaded call that the business was sold and I was asked to come in and meet the new owners. I walked into the office and was formally introduced to the new business owner, MY DAD! The Yankee Carpenter became our family business in 1992.
A New Journey
My father Bill has always maintained an exceptional work ethic. In fact, he’s a perfectionist and a proactive man who isn’t very fond of excuses. After returning from serving in the U.S. Army in Vietnam, he worked in the sweat shops and rose through the ranks in a large automation company. He didn’t have any furniture experience, so with the help of my mother, brother and some good ole fashion perseverance, we turned a one store operation into the largest family owned unfinished furniture dealer in the state of Michigan. In 2003, we purchased a small manufacturing facility and moved the business to Marlette, a small town in Michigan’s beautiful thumb region.
We have witnessed many companies come and go over the years, through good times and bad, but our family business has weathered all the storms and we continue to manufacture heirloom quality crafts and furniture today.
Where Does Hidden Lake Furniture Fit In?
In short, Hidden Lake Furniture is the family owned online retail store. Our “Made in the USA” furniture continues to gain in popularity and can be found in homes, cottages and businesses around the world.
It is my sincere pleasure to thank each and every person who has purchased our products, referred their friends and family, and enabled us to continue living this family dream today. On behalf of all of us, thank you.
Sincerely,
Jason Roth - President
Hidden Lake, LLC