"Give me a piece of wood and I'll build you a dream." That's what Cedar Mike says -- and he does just that, creating unique, one-of-a-kind cedar furniture.
Cedar Mike is Mike Parvi, whose woodshop is at Ridgely, Mo., north of Kansas City. He, along with his friend Frank Jones, of Monett, who also creates furniture out of cedar, brought pieces of their furniture to sell at Jesse James Days in Pineville.
They brought end tables, coffee tables and pub tables, bar stools, rocking chairs, benches, dining tables and chairs -- but they produce many more pieces.
Parvi, a U.S. Marine Corps Vietnam disabled veteran, has been creating the cedar furniture for 20 years. He said that since he began creating the furniture, he has added many different items such as jewelry boxes and crosses.
Parvi said another person, Steve Clayton, who has a sawmill, works with him and Jones, cutting the wood. "We all pitch in together," Parvi said.
Parvi said he started out making frames, but he wanted to add more variety. He said that when looking at pieces of wood, he envisions what types of furniture will work best with the wood. He uses the more-plain pieces of wood for benches, while pieces that have more character -- knots, and shapes -- he uses for tables.
"Every piece of wood is different," Parvi said, "and every piece of furniture we make is different. Right now, we are working to get a rustic look -- especially with beds."
Parvi said people sometimes ask for custom-made memorial benches, incorporating the name of the person whose memory is being honored.
"Sometimes, we are also approached by businesses requesting custom-made furniture. "The Pancho Via restaurant in Branson requested a bench and we made that and it is unique."
When he gets requests for tables and chairs all alike, he declines.
"I don't do that because the joy of creating isn't there -- it is too repetitive," Parvi said. "I like being creative rather than doing the same thing over and over."
A project going on now is turning tree stumps into chairs.
"Each one is different, Parvi said. "I put a back and three legs on them."
Parvi gets wood locally: "Sometimes people want to get rid of cedar trees and they call us, since the wood is so beautiful, rather than burn it."
Frank Jones, a retired airline mechanic, teamed up with Cedar Mike about six years ago to produce furniture.
To purchase their cedar furniture, call Cedar Mike, 417-846-7776, or Frank Jones, 417-489-3430. Their cedar furniture is sold at Cedar Mike's Woodshop at 5117 State Highway 76, Ridgely, Mo.
Community on 08/18/2016