Central IL folks - CU woodshop is open!

[Mike Heidrick]

Went to CU woodshop tonight in Champaign IL. They have a ton of tools on dispaly and in the dream shop. All pretty much powermatic, sawstop, jet, delta, festool, and general. First time I have seen a PM2000, new unisaw, sawstops (all three), and a general 650 all under power so you could check them out before buying them. No euro tools but a lot of great higher end import asian hobby class machines. Full Kreg, and Festool spread and benchdog router tables as well. Also had a big general bandsaw with a 3" carbide (?every other tooth??) blade and the bandsaw wheels had no rubber on them?? CRAZY but only had 13" resaw??!! Really great place run by some really great folks. Check it out!

[Stephen Edwards]

That sounds like a tool drool store to me! I bet you had fun visiting.

[Kerry Lorts]

Do they carry lumber? If so how are their prices/selection? Thanks in advance.

-Kerry

[Joe Mioux]

well that gives me a reason to visit my kid at school. ;) I haven't been on campus since Labor Day weekend.

where is the new store located? name?
joe

[George Sanders]

I read the write up in the local paper. It said they will sell wood also. I haven't gone over there yet but I would like to see what their prices are like. I live 40 miles from there.

[mike holden]

Okay, I'll bite --

What the heck is "CU"? Consumers Union? Credit Union?

Mike

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Champaign-Urbana, Illinois............It's kinda like St. Paul-Minneapolis, Mn

[Mike Heidrick]

Guessing standard rockler/woodcraft prices on wood.

There were some flitches though they had cut in the dream shop but not sure that was for sale.

The co-op buy in is $10K as well and Saturday they are having an informational meeting about the dream shop.

[Mike Heidrick]

That sounds like a tool drool store to me! I bet you had fun visiting.

No way I am trading my shop for that one. I like their space though.

[Rod Sheridan]

Mike, thanks for keeping us updated on this.

It's a very interesting approach, I hope the co-op does well.

regards, Rod.

[Mike Heidrick]

That Co-op is such a neat idea. Use the tools you sell, have them all ready for a demo, be able to show 6-7 saws powered up and ready to go, demo all their features. What a great way to sell equipment. Take the vendor specific rule out of the equation. I think that is awesome.

[Mike Heidrick]

Next trip I will take pictures. There is a cad layout of the dream shop on the CU Woodshop website.
http://www.cuwoodshop.com/dreamshop.html

[mike holden]

Ken,
Thank you, very familiar with Champaign/Urbana, flew into there many times for work.
Mike

[Eric DeSilva]

That Co-op is such a neat idea. Use the tools you sell, have them all ready for a demo, be able to show 6-7 saws powered up and ready to go, demo all their features. What a great way to sell equipment. Take the vendor specific rule out of the equation. I think that is awesome.

If this is the same place that was previously discussed in another thread, calling it a "coop" is a travesty. I don't see how the economics of this place work. It is a very high dollar rental shop, no more, no less.

It may be a nice shop to buy things from, but it isn't a "dream shop" in my book. Caveat emptor.

[Mike Heidrick]

The "investors" share in the profits in the retail part of the store as well. How is it just a rental as I did not follow that comment.

High end is VERY subjective. It is also not my version of high end but I am not sure that is what they wanted. Here is the first paragraph from the Dream Shop page.

The DreamShop is a members-only workshop that offers local woodworkers an opportunity to support their hobby while perfecting their skills. It also serves as a demonstration site for the equipment offered for sale in the adjacent CU Woodshop Supply Store. If shoppers want to compare different brands, they can see the equipment in action and talk to experienced woodworkers who can demonstrate the tools, answer questions and share their knowledge about various types of tools.

[dan sherman]

Do they carry lumber? If so how are their prices/selection? Thanks in advance.

-Kerry

Yea they sell wood, I took these when they first opened back in late November, they've put up a few more racks since then. They have more lumber than any Rockler or Woodcraft I've been in, but a lot less than a true lumber dealer. If memory serves I paid $2.81/bf for some rift sawn 4/4 red oak a little while back. They almost know me by name, because I have been in and out of there so much. :D

http://img27.imageshack.us/img27/7101/cuw1.jpg
http://img230.imageshack.us/img230/4712/cuw2.jpg

[Brian Elfert]

$10,000 up front plus $1,000 a year could buy someone a pretty nice workshop of their own. It probably wouldn't be as big, but you wouldn't be driving to use it and the shop would be your own. You could eventually be sharing the "dream shop" with 94 others along with retail customers who want demos.

I understand you are investing in the company, but you're going to be a very small investor. The entire company is valued at almost $5 million based on how the ownership is split up.