Justin Mawhirter, Great Bend resident and owner of Just In Time Remodeling, is excited to announce the startup of our new company called Fresh Start Woodworks. Our small manufacturing company will produce and deliver quality, semi-custom cabinetry and other carpentry products, and is expected to begin production by the fall of 2023. Based in Great Bend and sharing space with Mawhirter’s construction and remodeling company, Fresh Start Woodworks will primarily serve contractors, lumber yards, and home improvement stores providing cabinets at wholesale prices to retailers and dealers across the state of Kansas.
“This vision has been in the making for a little over a year now. We started by rearranging and improving our shop by building a large ventilated spray room, installing new electrical and lighting infrastructure and purchasing equipment, so it’s exciting to be within arm’s reach of starting production,” said Mawhirter. “Options for quality cabinetry in the Midwest are fairly limited, and there isn’t enough supply for the demand in this industry. There’s a huge market for this, and an opportunity to grow over time.”
Fresh Start Woodworks has a two-fold mission that centers around providing the highest quality cabinetry, while also providing employment and job training opportunities for people who need a fresh start after addiction or other life-controlling issues. “Most of the initial employees in leadership positions will be hired based on their skills and experience, with an emphasis on quality,” Mawhirter explained. “But as we ramp up production, we will create a safe space where people who want to rebuild their life and learn a new occupation can come under our leadership staff to be trained and mentored in a faith-based environment.”
Some employers may not consider an individual eligible for employment if they’ve struggled with addiction or have a prior criminal record. But research has shown that a supportive peer environment at home and at work has a significant impact on a person’s ability to see success in sobriety. Fresh Start Woodworks hopes to mentor and train these individuals as they learn valuable and in-demand skills such as operating CNC machinery, driving a forklift, carpentry, finish work, distribution, and more.
“Our primary focus will be on wholesale relationships with other businesses who need a reliable and responsive vendor for high-quality cabinetry – real estate developers, contractors, property managers, lumber yards, home improvement stores, etc,” Mawhirter said. “But homeowners within 60 miles can also place orders with us by working through our sister company, Just in Time Remodeling. Or they can ask their contractor to set up a wholesale relationship with Fresh Start Woodworks.”
Several cabinet styles will be offered including shaker style, raised panel, mission, and others. All the cabinets will be available to be stained or finished with a catalyzed varnish, which looks like paint but is much more durable.
Fresh Start Woodworks is one of the new businesses competing in the Ignite Rural Business Competition facilitated by Great Bend Economic Development. Fresh Start will be competing for grant money to help purchase more equipment and allows the operation to scale quicker, serve more customers, and open up more job opportunities to our local community.
“It would be a huge blessing to receive one of the grants to kickstart our company and scale faster than we would be able to otherwise,” Mawhirter said. “We could provide more job opportunities and purchase the equipment we need to make a bigger economic impact.”
Starting out, Mawhirter anticipates starting with a team of 4-6 employees within the first year, and scaling to 10+ jobs within a few years. “There is so much potential for this type of business, so we’ll see where God takes us in the future,” Mawhirter said.
Fresh Start Woodworks is based out of central Kansas, and will serve contractors and wholesale vendors throughout the State of Kansas. Anyone in interested in following the growth of the new business can find Fresh Start Woodworks on social media. The public can also plan to participate in the Ignite Rural Business Competition live event on October 5, 2023 to help vote for their favorite startups to receive a special business grant. For information about becoming a wholesale vendor to sell cabinetry from Fresh Start Woodworks, visit www.freshstartwoodworks.com or call 620-617-8116 for a free estimate.