Here’s One Way To Do It

Stephen Robin Woodworking in Woodstock, N.Y. is a co-op style custom woodworking shop run by its founder, Stephen Robin. Robin, who’s 85, has spent most of his professional life building custom furniture while growing his business and reputation. As he eases into retirement, Robin remains focused on ensuring his talented team of subcontractors will have their own businesses to fall back on.

“It’s the idea of setting up in a way where people can work together, as opposed to being an employer/employee type situation, where they can build their own businesses and own clientele,” says Robin, who’s been in business continuously since 1967.

“And that’s what makes it reasonable for people half my age to want to be with me. I’m looking out for them and they’re looking out for me. So that concept is interesting, and you have to be truly independent. You have to be in control of your time and whatever else you do, and you have to be cooperative because all parties agree it’s the best thing to do.”

Even with a solid succession plan in place, Robin isn’t slowing down. He is busy developing a new public art gallery, the Robin Elliot Gallery, with his longtime partner Joany Elliott.

Born in Brooklyn, N.Y., Robin has always had a passion for building things. He had an A.C. Gilbert erector set as a child and made his first workbench at age 12. He attended a local community college where he received a degree in Mechanical Technology then went to work as a metal fabricator, producing baseboard heaters in Queens for several years.

After a few other jobs, including teaching shop, Robin settled in Woodstock in 1965. Aspiring to sell some of his own furniture, he put a sign out in his yard and started developing a clientele. He hired several employees to handle other projects so the business could sustain numerous custom woodworking requests while he strived to be at the top of his game as a master craftsman. Three years later he was in full force.

“I visited (furniture maker) Wendell Castle, bought a bunch of tools like the ones he used, and started building furniture,” says Robin. “I was able to have showings at museums and taught at a couple community colleges. For 10 years, I did straight commission art furniture and for galleries. I did well in terms of establishing a reputation.”

His also became a representative for the American Craft Council for New York, which introduced him to the likes of George Nakashima and Sam Maloof.

“For a 28-year-old guy that was in the business two years, I would say I did well. It was good.”

In 1983, Robin and Joany bought four acres about a mile from downtown Woodstock, known for hosting a historic musical festival in 1969. They designed and built their dream home, which is full of his furniture and Elliott’s artwork, and an adjacent shop.

The shop is approximately 3,800 sq. ft. and features two floors for woodworking and a third-floor office. It contains a huge collection of hand tools and a massive CNC router from C.R. Onsrud, purchased in 2007 with a matching grant from the U.S. Forest Service and the Watershed Agricultural Council’s Forestry Program in New York.

“I first saw a CNC machine at IWF in 1985 and thought it was really cool, but never thought that I would buy one. I bought the Onsrud because it has the capability to work sideways for making pockets and all with the right tooling,” says Robin.

“If you know what you’re doing as programmer, it makes your machine closer to a 5-axis machine. Ninety percent of people buy XYZ (3-axis) machines and cut plywood, but we carve things. We do really complex work.”

The CNC is also a good resource for other shops.

“We work now for seven or eight shops in the area that come to us for CNC work. With CNC, it’s really the skill of the draftsman and the programmer, and the ability to draw, and these are the things we excel at.”

Robing says the majority of work the shop produces is fully custom, but they do outsource drawers and other components as needed from major suppliers.

The co-op currently consists of Steven Liebowitz of NY Fab Shop, Matthew Medenbach of Woodstock CNC Woodworking, James Mayer of Mayer Construction, craftsman Gary Rawlins, and Ande Chase of Veillette Guitars.

Everyone has their own arrangement with pay and hours based on their personal qualifications and situations.

“We want people that are successful,” says Robin. “They’re essentially building their own business. So, they have their own clientele and do their own marketing. Sometimes I build it; sometimes they build it. But basically, we just have an arrangement that allows everybody to make their money before I make my money. I take all of the up and down risk.

“In order to be a true subcontractor, you have to be working your business. You can’t just work here and not be in your own show. Gary, for example, just brought in a job from a friend in Connecticut and ran it through the business, but he prospered because he brought it in.”

Robin makes it clear that the team is exactly that and assures the system is nothing like a car dealership with salespeople competing for commissions.

“With a co-op, there’s no formula. There’s no advantage to one guy over another selling a job.”

Robin and Elliott plan to open the new gallery on their property by next spring. It will feature their and others’ work.

“The next step is to draw people from downtown to come see the art and purchase it,” says Robin, who never seems to have enough on his plate.

Robin has another house on Cape Cod (Mass.) next to his daughter, Sarah, that he’s renovating. He’s also an avid biker, motorcyclist, swimmer, skier and kayaker, and dabbles in photography.

For more, visit stephenrobinwoodworking.com.  

This article was originally published in the November 2023 issue.