Today we’d like to introduce you to Spencer Ratliff.
Hi Spencer, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I’ve been running my own custom furniture business for 10 years now, and it was probably about 7 years ago I had the idea of a shared wood shop because starting my business was hard and expensive. I spent years looking for the right building to buy or rent and talking with other shared shop owners around the country. I even tried it out with a few woodworkers in my 3,000-square-foot shop off of Cherry St., but in the spring of 2020, my feet got put to the fire when my little shop informed me they were not going to renew my lease. I had 2 months to move out. I contacted the Heuristics owners hoping they might have a lead, and found out they were willing to rent me their old shop that runs the back end of the Jackson Terminal building. This shop was way better than anything I had ever hoped for, and the landlords were super helpful and worked with us as we grew slowly. We started with 16,000 sq ft and opened in July of 2020 but now have grown to 24,000 sq ft.
Please talk to us about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned. Looking back, has it been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Not a smooth road, but I have had so much amazing support! Starting a new business at the beginning of a global pandemic after just becoming a new dad (My son was only 4 months old when I signed the lease) and increasing my shop by 5 times while figuring out how to create this shared model while also keeping my own furniture business alive almost did me in. Still, the crew that has joined Able Trade made it possible. Members pitched in and helped so much in the move and setup. I could go on for a while about the list of struggles, but it all boils down to the feeling of not having enough time. Running a small business takes time, so adding a second business left me feeling like it was impossible to get everything done. But here we are, almost three years old and finding our rhythm better.
Thanks – so, what else should our readers know about Able Trade?
Able Trade is a fully-equipped wood and metal shop designed to give artists, builders, and creatives better access to facilities, tools, and, most importantly, other creatives. A variety of tiered memberships are available to access all the amenities of an industrial shop without having to own it all yourself. Whether you are a professional looking for a studio space to run your business or a weekend hobbyist looking for access to tools when needed, Able Trade offers plans for each. Check our website for various classes and gallery nights and more info about our cyc wall photography studio available for rent.
Is there something surprising that you feel even people who know you might not know about?
Able Trade is available and open to anyone who knows the basics of woodworking or metalworking. Still, I wonder if everyone knows that I started Able Trade because I wanted to help support other trade and maker businesses like mine in Knoxville. We are not the only maker space in Knoxville, but what Knoxville was missing was a space that made the entry point easier to start your own business. Since opening Able Trade, Knoxville has 4 new woodworking businesses that didn’t exist before. This was my dream and goal more than making a space that catered to all crafts and hobbies. I love watching the collaboration between our members and watching their businesses grow.
Pricing:
- Part time shop membership $100/month
- Full time shop membership $200/month
- Studios availble for rent at $2/square foot plus your $200 membership to the tools
Contact Info:
- Website: weareabletrade.com
- Instagram: abletradeknox
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/abletradeknox
Image Credits
Aaron Ingram and Daniel Clay
