Meet Forrest Harmel of Forrest Woodworks in Abilene

Today we’d like to introduce you to Forrest Harmel.

Thanks for sharing your story with us Forrest. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
I’m constantly humbled with where I’m at now when I remember where I started. I’m from Austin and was on drugs starting at 14, was in 3 different rehabs by the time I was 16, and ran away from home at 16 to pretty much live on the street. I dropped out of high school, sold drugs, broke into cars, and was in and out of jail and the hospital for overdosing. At 18 God changed my life, and I wound up in Abilene, TX, where I met my wife.

After we got married, I worked at a natural food restaurant, and one of my morning duties was to mop the floors. It became my quiet meditation time, and one morning I was praying and said to God: “I don’t wanna do this for the rest of my life… I wanna provide for my family (my wife was pregnant). Will you teach me a trade? I want to learn construction.”

No joke, THAT WEEK, my neighbor’s uncle knocked on the front door of my house and said: “hey, my niece told me you were interested in doing remodeling work and I’m looking for a hand, are you interested?”

That’s what set my life on course. I worked for several different remodeling guys, and then for a cabinet maker. From there I was offered a job at a nonprofit overseeing their mentoring programs and neighborhood outreach. The programs revolved around a meal with the kids, so I decided to make a big table for them to all sit at and feel like family… that was my first furniture piece ever!

I got a lot of interest from that table and started taking on side jobs. Eventually the work became consistent enough to allow me to go full time with my own business. I built everything out of my backyard for a year and a half or so. And working with mostly reclaimed material, my driveway was full of stacks and piles of old wood.

I’ve since moved into a 3600 sq. ft. shop (and cleaned up the driveway) and think every day how grateful I am to have what I have and that I get to do what I love for a living!

We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
It’s definitely been challenging. My wife and I are both self-employed, so not having any guaranteed income has caused us to really live by faith. Starting out in my backyard, I was making stuff I probably shouldn’t have tried to make on uneven ground, without the right tools, and out in the elements with no covering for shade in the summer heat or shelter in the winter cold… I used to DREAM of a shop with work space and a fan and a fridge with cold water haha… now I have that!

And then just having to learn how to run a business! I started out because I wanted to make things, and have had to really catch up with the administrative side, filing taxes, doing bids the right way, knowing how to invest back in my business as well as our household.

So yea, there’s been a lot of learning curves… but I guess that’s how I was supposed to learn! I don’t regret any of it…

We’d love to hear more about your business.
So I build custom furniture using primarily reclaimed material. But it all depends on what the client wants. I think by saying yes to a lot of things (or almost anything haha) I’ve become established as a custom woodworker. It’s allowed me to make a lot of really cool unique pieces.

I’ve also had a lot of opportunities to do commercial jobs for restaurants and such. To date, I’ve built tables for two restaurants, a coffee shop, two bars, and am currently working on tables for my third restaurant. Getting stuff in public places has really helped my business grow and get my name out there…

But projects have ranged from kitchen countertops using new material to desks and beds, coffee tables and wall art. I think what brings me the most joy is getting to take someone’s idea, whether fully formed or really abstract, and helping them define it and make it a reality…

I’m honestly probably most proud of the relationships I’ve made through this business. I owe most of my work and opportunities to those relationships, and keeping them is a top priority to me. I’ve always thought that woodworking was a means to an end, it was never the end. Making things is my way of getting into people’s lives and connecting with them. Hopefully that’s something that will always set me apart…

What were you like growing up?
Growing up I’d say I was adventurous… I loved being outside, loved being active. I always enjoyed people too… not knowing my dad and having an abusive step dad, I definitely see where I longed for a father kind of relationship… once I became a teenager I think I tried to cover or heal that pent up hurt and anger with drugs… I feel like God has definitely met me in that place and not only filled that space, but opened these doors to teach me this trade like a dad would…

Contact Info:

• Address: 325-864-2121
  Forrestglennharmel@gmail.com
  IG: @forrestwoodworks
• Phone: 325-864-2121
• Email: Forrestglennharmel@gmail.com
• Instagram: @forrestwoodworks
• Facebook: Forrest Harmel

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