Coyle Woodworks is a family-owned and operated business based in Waunakee, Wis., dedicated to woodwork, craft and refurbishing antique liquor barrels. In just a few short years, Dave, Dustin and Devon Coyle have turned their love of woodworking into a business, reaching clients in neighboring communities.
The family’s passion for woodworking dates back to Dustin and Devon’s adolescent years, as Dave, who is their father, taught his kids the basics. Back then, the Coyles developed and oversaw woodworking projects for Wisconsin’s 4-H Foundation, a University of Wisconsin Extension partnership aimed to create relevant programs for young people to learn real-world skills to prepare them for future endeavors.
“It has been a lot of fun sharing our talent and skills with the younger 4-H members and seeing them succeed with their projects,” Dave said. “Hopefully they, too, develop a passion for woodworking, and it ends up being a lifelong activity for them.”
Coyle Woodworks began its roots when Dustin wanted to make a bottle opener for his college house with the school’s logo on it. After brainstorming various designs, Dustin, Devon and Dave decided to place magnets on the back, enabling the bottle caps to “stick” upon opening the bottle.
“This quickly gained traction from friends and family, and we sold over 100 custom bottle openers just by word of mouth,” Dustin said. Their custom bottle openers jumpstarted the business, which was incorporated as an LLC in August 2017.
In the past three years, the Coyles have expanded their products to customized whiskey barrel signs, guitar displays, table centerpieces, clocks, large custom barrel tables and more. They source reclaimed barrels from various regions, including whiskey distillers in Kentucky and Tennessee and wineries in California and France.
Despite their product expansion, the Coyle men still have full–time jobs while simultaneously running their woodworking business. Each family member takes on different roles: Dave and Devin, both mechanical engineers, design more intricate projects such as barrels with doors and wine bottle racks. Dustin, on the other hand, received degrees in marketing and business management, which he has used to handle website needs and e-commerce sales, in addition to shop projects.
Even without active marketing, Coyle Woodworks has kept busy through word of mouth.
“Let’s just say, sitting down to watch TV isn’t a common occurrence for us,” Dustin said. “We all put in time nights and weekends to work on projects and have more projects than we ever thought possible.”
The Coyle’s “hobby-business” has not only been a way to stay connected as a family, but also a way to build unique partnerships with other community businesses in the Madison and Waunakee regions.
“Working with family is the best as we all love spending time together,” Dustin said. “We feed off of each other’s creativity and energy, and a lot of good stories and laughs are shared in the shop and with our customers. We work with some pretty cool people and businesses who share our passion for barrels, rustic barrel art and creating the unusual.”
Coyle Woodworks has partnered with businesses such as J.H Findorff & Son, applying adhesive vinyl logos to commemorative shovels that Findorff gives their clients at the opening of their finished construction sites. They also have created custom tables from wooden barrels for nineteen09 wine bar in Cross Plains, Wis., and Red & White Winebar in Waunakee.
In addition, Coyle Woodworks is a licensed University of Wisconsin business, allowing them to sell wooden Bucky Badger décor.
Coyle Woodworks offers barrels and décor for purchase and rental. Popular projects are custom bottle openers and barrel base signs. The company also repurposes barrel parts to make clocks, custom signs and wine racks. Their pieces range from $100 to $125, but customers are encouraged to request a quote for more accurate pricing.
The trio’s passion for woodworking and their ability to create custom pieces for an array of clients has given them a platform for success.
“We are always open to expanding if the opportunity presents itself to us,” Dustin said. “If someone comes to us with an idea, and it is within our wheelhouse, we definitely have the energy and ambition to pursue it.”
