“We are looking for a buyer who is interested in acquiring Shopsmith’s assets, brand, and loyal customer base,” the company says in a message on its website. “With the right leadership and resources, Shopsmith can thrive again to continue its legacy of delivering compact, multi-functional, precision woodworking equipment trusted by generations.
“Over the last two years, we’ve rebuilt the supply chain, restored manufacturing, and confirmed what our community already knows: Shopsmith products remain unmatched in their value and versatility. What we lacked was the time and resources to scale awareness and grow our loyal user-base,” the message adds.
A message was left for the owner of the business, Nicholas Cupps. Cupps bought the company in 2023.
A customer in Nebraska, Stephen Draper, said the business had served customers all over the nation and even beyond.
At its height, Shopsmith employed some 1,500 employees, he said.
“I’ve been a customer there for over 40 years,” Draper told this newspaper.
Woodworking hobbyists lamented the news online.
“It’s unfortunate,” one Facebook user, BW Thompson, wrote in a recent post. “ ... I will say, there are still American manufacturers that produce wood working equipment.”
Shopsmith said on its site that it will continue to process outstanding orders.
“Thank you to our community, customers, and partners for your decades of support,” the business said. “It has been an honor to serve you.”
Boise, Idaho resident (and former Dayton resident) Michael Young said he worked for the company for 42 years, most recently in a sales role.
Young — who has a You Tube channel devoted to home woodworking —said when he started with the company in the early 1980s, the company had well over 1,000 employees and at least a couple of area locations.
“I guess you would say the culture out in the world changed, with the Internet getting huge, with everyone being on their phones and computers instead of being in their garages cutting up wood,” he said.
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