About Us

Tradewinds MV is a small (very small) woodworking shop located in Oak Bluffs, Massachusetts on the island of Martha's Vineyard.

Now you might say, why would anyone start a woodworking business on a island primarily known for tourism and vacationing presidents?

Well, my mother discovered the island way back in 1968 and fell in love with the community, beaches, and quaint villages.  My parents built a house in Oak Bluffs the following year and we spent nearly every summer and school vacation there.  If we weren't working at one of the family's businesses or in school, we were likely on the Vineyard.

And as for me, as I was winding down my corporate career, having lived and worked all over the United States and never really putting down roots in one place, I realized that I needed three things; community, nature, and the ability to stay engaged with my creative side.  Those things came together when I left that career behind and moved to the house my parents had built so many years ago.  I always had a calling to the Vineyard because of the shear beauty of the ocean and the range of natural landscapes.  I became involved in the recovery community and found a group of people who have become my friends, mentors, and social network.  The final piece was when I purchased my first woodworking machine and began to learn what was possible when you combine engineering skills to traditional woodworking designs.

And as for the Tradewinds MV name, well that came the old airfield out behind my house.  I spent hours there watching planes take off and land when I was a kid.  I always loved the rustic charm of planes landing on the grass runways.  Today I get to walk my dog around the same trails I enjoyed as a youth.