From Tree to Table

In September 2022, Stuff by Lauren KruchtenLeave a Comment

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Local maker cures the root of the city’s issue with repurposed material going to the landfill by turning local reclaimed trees into stunning wood furniture pieces.

The City of Oaks is no doubt logging plenty of, well, logs to make way for development. And while the harsh reality is that most of those are being thrown in a landfill or recycling center, some are being “recycled” in the coolest way. 

Enter local Oak City Customs and its pop(u)lar custom-made tables and furniture already dotting homes, businesses, restaurants and bars across the community. The brainchild of Dylan Selinger (who helped open Crank Arm Brewing and Crank Arm Rickshaw), the “tree-to-table” concept was born of his realization that somebody needed to step in and do something about the city’s wasted natural resources. 

Originally started in Selinger’s garage as a hobby, Oak City Customs’ operations have since moved to a 14,000-square-foot space in Zebulon, where all of the team’s projects are carried out—from planing and sanding to kiln-drying to CNC services (aka computer controlled-cutting services) to welding and fabrication. To boot, most of the equipment is secondhand, which “kind of jives with our theme,” says Selinger. 

Around town, you’ve likely spotted some of the visionary log crew’s craftsmanship at Crank Arm, The Davie, The Darby, Poole’side Pies and SideBar, among others. NTM Selinger and his team also upfit all existing Dram & Draught locations (Raleigh, Durham, Greensboro and Wilmington).

Now, they’re working on Dram’s Fenton, Charlotte and Winston-Salem outposts as well. Translation: That bar top or table where you cop a squat will in essence be a reclaimed locally sourced tree. Cheers to that.

Beyond the bars, while the crew’s crown pieces (ahem—get it? Like crown of a tree?) are dining room, conference and coffee tables, Oak City Customs also crafts custom furniture (hence “Customs”). In producing the likes of shelves, stools and more, the team works closely with customers to ensure “you get exactly what you want—as opposed to something that you buy online and you have like three options for size and colors,” says Selinger. Sounds like a pretty sturdy sustainable business model to us.
oakcitycustoms.com 

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