CHICAGO (CBS) —A Chicago woodworker brings the art of sustainable carpentry to the city.
Verrone Sims has works scattered around the city, including a picnic table he made for a local cafe. It’s just one piece from his South Side woodworking business.
It’s hard to imagine what Simms will create next in his one-man show, because he’s juggling so many things at once.
“We’re working on multiple projects,” Simms said. “I’m working on a van that’s been converted into a mobile office. I’m working on a coffee table, plus a dining table, plus my own furniture collection. It’s all happening at the same time.”
Simms’ small woodworking business, a Brown Hue, goes wherever he goes, even when he’s working out of a friend’s garage. It’s one of several shops he’s set up around town.
“I worked in my garage. I worked in my basement. I work at a friend’s house. It’s always been this community of people that lets me use all these spaces to do what I need to do,” he said.
All of his creations are completely natural and handmade, finished with non-toxic materials and, perhaps most importantly, they all start as a slab of locally sourced wood.
“So most of my material comes from three local places. That’s all intentional. I’m all about the local economy,” Simms said.
“Because I feel like when you build a local economy, you build a community. And when you build a community, there are more people who are willing to say, I want to help.”
Simms says keeping his business local helps him stay sustainable, and that goes beyond just saving the planet.
“It’s also about saving money. It’s also about thinking about the long-term economics of buying the same stuff over and over again.”
Simms says that no matter what he makes, all of his customers ultimately want the same thing.
“Something that makes them feel like when you come home, I’m home, I can shut the world out for a little while. So, that’s what I’m building for,” he said.
And that was the reason he started building: his own need for relaxation.
“Honestly, it was one of those things where I work, a job where you’re just, you know, the dirt inside you’re in a rat race. So for me, coming home and doing something tangible with my hands slowed my brain down, and over the years it became my, just my refuge,” Simms said.
Woodworking went from a holiday destination to a source of income in just a few years.
“I’m also a father, so that made me feel like, okay, I can make a chart, you know, do woodworking and make a living at it, and be an artist, which is what I always wanted to be, right? It takes so long, and in a neighborhood where I grew up, you know, art is not seen as, it’s not a viable thing.”
Simms began producing affordable, expertly crafted pieces, attracting nonprofits and other small, local businesses.
“I’ve always been committed to causes that come up with plans and programs to really help people who are underserved. I think a store, wherever I work, should also be able to build a community,” he said.
Some of Brown Hue’s work can be found from Evanston to Woodlawn.
His work isn’t just for nonprofits. Simms says custom work is a big part of his business, especially as the holidays approach. He can do just about anything anyone can think of, and he’ll engrave it if they ask nicely.
