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| Pictured (L to R) Thursday afternoon at Whetstone Woodenware, Silver Lake, are: Tom Sittler, employee; John Whetstone, owner; and Congressman Mark Souder. Photo by Jennifer Peryam, Times-Union |
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Congressman Souder Tours Whetstone Woodenware
Jennifer Peryam
Times-Union Staff Writer
SILVER LAKE - U.S. Congressman Mark Souder toured Whetstone Woodenware Thursday afternoon to learn about business operations.
The business is at 108 E. Main St., Silver Lake, and celebrated its 25th anniversary in August. There also is a business at 903 E. Canal St., Winona Lake.
Souder met Thursday with John Whetstone, Whetstone Woodenware owner, and business employees.
Souder's local representatives, Allison McSherry and Tracy Jackson, also toured the business and production facility.
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The business manufactures handmade wooden spoons, ladles, dippers, bowls, breadboards, trenchers, mixing paddles and many other types of woodenware.
"I systematically try to visit as many businesses as possible in my district, and people talk about jobs and to actually impact jobs you have to talk to the people who are providing jobs and learn about their challenges," Souder said.
Souder also visited Burket Thursday to meet with the town's alternative school and special needs program.
Whetstone started the business 25 years ago, and in 1978 his wife, Debbie, asked him to make her a wooden spoon that wouldn't break.
With only a homemade band saw and an antique wood lathe he met her challenge and produced his first wooden spoon.
Skilled craftsman make the woodenware from kiln- dried hard maple. After operations by hand and a final polishing, the products are treated with mineral oil.
Next to the Silver Lake business where the products are sold is a production area where the kitchen tools are manufactured.
The wood is purchased from Pike Lumber, Atwood.
"We have local products made by local people and sell to catalogs, kitchen stores, hardware stores, museum stores, have two retail stores in Silver Lake and Winona and export to New England," Whetstone said.
The products are sold in locations such as The Henry Ford/Greenfield Village Museum, Michigan; Old Sturbridge Museum, Massachusetts; The New Salem Lincoln League, Illinois; and The Indiana Historical Society.
The woodenware has been sold in Early American Homes magazine, promoted in Country Living magazine and has been featured in a number of catalogs and food television programs.
Silver Lake store hours are Mondays through Fridays from 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.; and Winona Lake store hours are Mondays through Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
For more information about the business, visit the online store at www.whetstonewoodenware.com
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