Page 30 - Flathead Beacon // 4.30.14

30 | APRIL 30, 2014 BUSINESS MONTHLY FLATHEADBEACON.COM

CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT: Jon Hjertberg, a partner of Mark King and Friends woodworking in Whiteish, inishes a custom housing
for boxed wine pouches; A table with stainless steel rings, made by Mark King with African mahogany, myrtlewood and quilted
maple; Mark King shows some of his interior woodwork in his home. GREG LINDSTROM | FLATHEAD BEACON
Evolving Art for an Evolving Business

Mark King has crafted tractors had a bet going on how long I’d was crafted with three diferent types Hjertberg was working on something
last,” he said.
of wood and stainless steel rings in the he called a wine box, a wooden box that
ine furniture in the
But 25 years after arriving in the val- middle. Each type of wood, including holds bagged wine and is more visually
Flathead Valley for more ley, King has established himself as a tal- African mahogany, myrtle and quilted pleasing than a regular cardboard box
ented craftsman who is leading a shop, maple, ofers a diferent shade and grain the wine is often packaged in. Hjertberg
than two decades
Mark King and Friends, which makes and the table is valued at around $5,000.
said each box would sell for upwards of
everything from doors and furniture to “People thought I was crazy when I $200.
coins and bike stands.
irst got up here and then it turned into “I think Mark and I want to build
In the late 1970s, King was work- ‘well his stuf is kind of expensive, but products that are aesthetically pleasing,
By JUSTIN FRANZ of the Beacon ing at a restaurant in Vail, Colorado, it’s good’ and that eventually turned into quality and durable,” he said. “We want

WHITEFISH – Mark King’s art has
when he decided he enjoyed building a business,” he said.
to make things afordable, but making it
evolved much like his business. The re- more than cooking and began remod- King arrived in Whiteish in the late cheap is not our priority.”
sult of that evolution is clear when you eling kitchens. He then began focusing 1980s and struggled to get by for several King said he wants to build items
step into his woodshop near his home on doors and later furniture. King said years until he completed a few high-pro- that last, and it shows in each project he
in Whiteish. It’s a far cry from when he what sets his work apart from others is ile projects around town, including the takes on.
was working, living and eating peanut that he approaches each project like an back bar at the Remington.
“I can’t think of anything I’d rather
butter and jelly sandwiches out of his artist.
The economic downturn hurt the do,” he said.

shop in the late 1980s. Back then, King “There are a lot of woodworkers out housing industry in the Flathead, as For more information about Mark
said, few people in the Flathead Valley there who don’t use their imagination, well as King’s shop, but he and his busi- King and Friends woodshop and pho-
were producing furniture that could they’re just content with stamping out ness partner, Jon Hjertberg, have found tos of their products, visit www.mark-
also be displayed in an art gallery.
doors from boxes,” he said.
unique projects to keep them busy and kingandfriends.com.
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“When I moved here, the local con-
A cofee table in King’s workshop
pay the bills. On a recent rainy morning,
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