On the evening of April 29, Strong Oaks Woodshop in Front Royal
went up in flames. The popular store was known for turning reclaimed wood into
tables, chairs and other furniture. Now, owner Michael Schmiedicke, a parishioner
of St. John the Baptist Church in Front Royal, and his employees are forced to
do what they do best: rebuild.
“Everything we poured our hearts and souls into disappeared
within those flames,” the company wrote on its GoFundMe page. “It is a total
loss. By the grace of God no one was injured.” The cause of the fire is still
unknown, according to reports from The Northern Virginia
Daily. Adjacent buildings and several cars were damaged as well.
Schmiedicke was featured in the May 18, 2016, issue of the Catholic Herald, which highlighted his favorite aspect
of the business: creating wooden personalized coffins. After his grandmother
died several years ago, he and his brothers made her casket at their mother’s
request. Building coffins became one of the woodworking activities he enjoyed
most, something he considers a ministry. “The bar stools pay the bills, but if
I can slip out from work now and then to make a casket, that’s what I’d like to
do. It’s personally very meaningful work to me,” he said in the article.
While the company’s insurance eventually will replace much of
what they lost, the lumber Strong Oaks salvaged, often from 100-year-old
structures, is irreplaceable. Still, they are looking for ways to keep working.
“We’re borrowing tools from friends and vendors, finding sheds and garages to
keep our hands going, scraping up every penny we can find to keep our company
moving forward,” they said.
The support of friends and customers has been overwhelming, said
Schmiedicke. “I was probably on the brink of despair on Saturday and Sunday,
and couldn’t imagine how to pick back up and start again. But I have been so
blessed in my friends and so bolstered by the faith of the people who love us,” he said.
To help
To help Strong Oaks Woodshop rebuild, go to gofundme.com/the-strong-oaks-woodshop.
