Hardware Podcasts

STL INT: Interview with Garrett Wade founder Garry Chinn

Shop Talk Live · 2 Oct 2020 · 52m

What this episode covers

Garry Chinn, founder of Garrett Wade, recounts how a 13-year-old shop class experience inspired him to launch a catalog business in 1975 to supply high-quality hand tools to American woodworkers. Chinn details his early sourcing trips to Europe, where he partnered with Swiss manufacturer Inca and Japanese maker Toshio Odate to bring precision machinery and tools to the US market. He explains how the company evolved from a niche woodworking catalog into a broader retailer of unique home goods, including gardening tools and toys, while maintaining a focus on educational content and functional design.

Most relevant to

early-stage companies

Topics

Mentioned

Companies
Garrett Wade, Woodcraft Supply, Baelin Brothers
Products
Whole Earth Catalog, Inca
Also
Toshio Odate, Lee Nielsen

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