Craftsmanship Through Generations
Dean W. Richards Custom Woodworking stands as a testament to the legacy and craftsmanship passed down through generations.
Craftsmanship Through Generations
Dean W. Richards Custom Woodworking stands as a testament to the legacy and craftsmanship passed down through generations.
Who We Are
Craftsmanship is in our blood, for over four generations the Richards Family has been producing cabinetry. We trace our ancestry back to Novia Scotia where Dean's Grandfather worked as a carpenter. Eventually immigrating to the United States with his Wife Ada he had eight children.
Alfred "Mickey" Richards was one of those eight children and Dean's Father. He worked in the trades most of his life, working as a woodworker after finishing his tour of service in WWII. He and his wife Esther Richards eventually moved to Essex to raise their children. Mickey worked for a cabinetry shop in Beverly, Massachusetts at the time but also built a small twelve by eighteen shop in his backyard. Its there that Dean would learn his trade.
Mickey often had Dean working with him on projects that Mickey had taken on as a source of side-income as raising seven children was an expensive prospect. Mickey quickly found that Dean had a natural affinity for woodworking. Dean continued to hone his craft and eventually Dean and Mickey decided they were going to go into business together once Mickey retired. Unfortunately Mickey passed before that could happen. Regardless Dean regrouped after the loss and went into business for himself. Turning the twelve by eighteen shop in the backyard into what it is today.
Today Dean runs his shop, being in business for over 38 years, building a successful name in the business, being known for his attention to detail and quality work. He eldest son, Nate helps him run the business while his middle child, Joshua works as a benchman in the shop.
Dean Richards - circa 1985
Esther & Alfred "Mickey" Richards
FAMILY. BUSINESS.
DEAN W. RICHARDS
A third generation woodworker, Dean grew up in the trades, helping his father; Alfred, commonly called Mickey, with various projects in their small shop in the backyard or milling wood for projects in their basement shop. Some of Dean’s earliest memories are of him building cabinets and furniture with his father. They planned on starting a woodworking business together once Dean graduated from high-school and his Father retired, unfortunately Mickey passed away before they could accomplish that goal. Regardless Dean went forward with it, and started his business thirty two years ago.
NATHAN RICHARDS
Nate is Dean's eldest son and fourth generation woodworker. Nate works with Dean in the shop and helps him with running the shop. He attended Suffolk University as well as Wentworth Institute of Technology, taking classes in architecture and design as well as business management, graduating in 2017. Nate's primary role in the shop is shop-foreman. His other roles include working with architects and designers in a designer capacity, producing shop drawings as well as handling the in-house design work done in the shop.