Our Story

Some of the best things in life happen by accident.

Woodworking was never part of the plan. When my family and I moved into our home in Marion, Iowa, I had my sights set on metalworking and eventually crafting custom knives. One look at the chemicals involved — in an attached garage, no less — and that plan changed fast. So I inherited a few tools, bought a few more, and started figuring out what I could make with wood instead.

That first real moment came one fall when I decided to surprise my wife with a set of cedar pumpkins. They turned out better than expected, so I posted them on Facebook just to show them off. By the end of that week, I had requests for nearly a dozen more. Something clicked. What started as a hobby slowly became something with real purpose — taking on projects for friends and family, learning what people loved, and building something that was mostly paying for itself along the way.

For about two years I honed the craft. Then in January 2026, Hendricks Handcrafted became official.

Today it's mostly just me — with the occasional help from my kids — working out of a two-stall garage that's equal parts workshop and DeWalt showroom. If you've ever seen a space that runs 99% Black and Yellow, you'd feel right at home here. The laser engraving happens downstairs in the basement, where my Creality Falcon 2 — a machine my wife found at a great deal and encouraged me to pull the trigger on — has opened up a whole new dimension of what's possible. One day I hope to build a standalone shop with my dream layout. For now, the garage and basement are where the magic happens.

Why do I do this?

Part of it is personal — the drive to keep learning, keep growing, and keep pushing what I'm capable of. But the bigger pull is knowing that something I made with my own hands might become another family's heirloom, or the piece that every guest asks about when they walk through the door. That idea never gets old.

My grandfather ran our family's grocery store for over 30 years. He was a business owner in the truest sense — hardworking, community-minded, and someone who built something that mattered. Making my own mark in business has always been a goal, and everything I do here is in part a tribute to what he taught me.

Most of all, I do this for my family. I want to provide for them, build something they're proud of, and leave behind a story worth telling — one they can pass on to their own kids and grandkids someday.

Every piece I make carries a little bit of all of that.

— Alex Hendricks, Founder