This year has thrown everything at us.
We’re not gonna sugarcoat it, its been a grind however you slice it. Yet, for craftsmen and tradesmen who run their own shops, putting in the hard work, day in and day out, is nothing new. It’s always hard work, but right now it takes even more effort and focus.
At Walls, we have nothing but respect for the sweat and skill it takes to keep an independent shop or a family operation on the rails. For these crews, it’s putting your name on the line for every single job you sign on for. It’s what we stand for here at Walls too, with every small detail, in every piece of gear we make.
So as summer is in the rear view, we’re honoring small shops that tackle big jobs with precision and pride. Not the size of the dog in the fight, as they say. We’ve handpicked a crew of hardworking shops that bleed this ethic—our Walls Shops—and we’re spotlighting all five this week. But we also want to hear from you, in your own words, about your own shops out there that just get it done.
Tag your shops in the comments with a few words about the work you do and we’ll give the whole operation its due. We’ll pick a handful of winning shops to highlight on our feeds—and we’ll outfit one deserving crew with a big box of new workwear. It’s the least we can do, as independent shops keep their foot on the gas, working hard to make it work.
#WallsShop #GreaterThanAllOutdoors
All week long, for Walls Shop Week, we’re celebrating the small shops, family businesses and owner/operators that ply their trade, day in, day out, to get the good work done. In honor of that tradesman’s ethic, we’re featuring five shops that bleed those hardworking values…and asking you to tag your own independent shops to win new gear for your crew.
The first operation that fits that bill is @the_iron_anvil a custom, architectural welding and blacksmithing operation based in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Known for their big barbed wire and characteristic New Mexico style, they focus their full-fire intensity on welding, forging, restoration and artistic metal work.
If it’s made of metal, Jeremy and Richard can probably fire up your vision for a commercial, industrial or residential setting. From shop work to custom installs, they’ve been putting our flame-resistant gear to the test in the shop and in the field. With each fence, gate or door, we’re still blown away by their attention to detail and mastery of their trade. We are proud to call them a Walls Shop.
#WallsShop #GreaterThanAllOutdoors
Next on our Walls Shop Week list is @outofthewoodsforestry, a small-scale, high-caliber backyard sawmill operation in Kingsport, Tennessee. Run by Nathan Elliot, who left a high pressure job in law enforcement to focus on a different trade, his mill rips quality board feet and custom cuts of everything from poplar to cherry, black walnut to white oak.
For Nathan, it all started with a single walnut tree on his farm that had to come down. One cut and he’d found his calling in millwork, with a mission to prove the value in his local timber while also keeping all that attractive wood from becoming cordwood or going to waste. His daily actions speak to a strong belief that each log and tree in the forest has a story inside of it to tell.
We’d never have thought watching logs become lumber could cast such a spell—but Nathan’s hit on something by sharing his day-to-day from one serious backyard sawmill. Out of the Woods has built an 88K strong following on YouTube of folks who just stop by to watch him work, first chainsaw cut to final kiln dry. With great pride in each cut, Nathan takes his trade up a notch, which is why we are proud to say that Out of the Woods is now a Walls Shop.
Remember to tag your own independent shop with a few words about what you do and you’ll be entered to win a big box of workwear for your crew.
#WallsShop #GreaterThanAllOutdoors
Dirt is cool, no matter how you slice it. And since our first sandbox we’ve all dreamed of a life of big rigs, big cats and big digs. But it is a lucky man who can literally make moving and shaping the earth his stock-in-trade, even more so if it’s a family affair. One such operation is Ken White Construction, @kwc2000, a three-generation family owned and operated business located north of the border in Carp, Ontario.
From traditional projects like new home builds or septic installs to heavy lifts like house moving and flood control, or even odd jobs like heavily-permitted boat launches and creative tree “trimming”, @kwc2000 has put the family name on the line to get the job done since 1968. With a pair of 8-ton and 20-ton workhorses—aka excavators—two chromed out steeds and a fine appreciation for both quality dirt and mechanical innovation, this op tackles serious tonnage and breaks new ground.
We’ve been following Taylor and his crew’s handiwork for more than a few long shifts and dig the behind-the-estimates look at what it takes to get it done and, at the same time, honor the family name. Even though we still can’t buy them a double double in person, we’re now proud to call Ken White Co, a Walls Shop.
Remember to tag your own independent shop this week for a chance to win a big box of Walls gear and a nod of respect to the work your shop does in our feeds.
#WallsShop #GreaterThanAllOutdoors
It’s Friday of Walls Shop week and all week long we’ve been teeing up intros for our official Walls Shops. But we’ve also been reaching out to you, asking you to tag your independent shops, your owner/operators, your hardworking crews. Today’s the last chance for you to let us know what you do, to tell us about the pride you take in your trade, the rewarding grind of making your shop work—and all for a chance to be featured on our feeds and win a big box of workwear for your crew.
Our fifth official Walls Shop is also deep in dirt and heavy into rock. It’s @dcexcavation, a family-owned demolition and excavation company based in Bozeman, Montana. Whether the project starts with laying a foundation or knocking structure down—from grading to dozing to any type of dirtwork—Dane and his crew have tackled project after project in god’s mountain country of Montana. We’d say the family-owned business is like herding cats, but it’s a herd of big cats that it takes to get these jobs done.
Dane is the newest member of the Walls Shop crew and we’re proud to have him flying the Walls workwear banner in a corner of the county that blows us away with the job site backdrops every time.
#WallsShop #GreaterThanAllOutdoors
