Summit County woodworking business prepares to reopen nearly a year after devastating fire

FRANCIS, Summit County — Dusty Hatch has spent most of his life building things.

"Since I was a senior in high school, I've done woodworking," he said.

He just never imagined he would one day have to rebuild his own business.

Nearly a year ago, Hatch and his wife, Raychel, were on vacation in Idaho when their woodworking shop in Francis started burning.

Firefighters worked to save the building, but with lumber, sawdust and woodworking equipment inside and Frontier Woodworks being a woodshop, the business burned to the ground.

"Business was really hurt last year," said Raychel.

The Hatches didn't learn about the fire right away because they were out of cellphone service.

"We got back into service, finally, and both my husband and I, our phones just started ding ding ding ding ding," said Raychel.

The number of missed calls immediately made her husband fear something had happened to a loved one.

"My first thought is somebody died. My grandkids, my kids. Something. Someone's been in an accident," he said.

When he learned the calls were about the fire instead, Hatch said his first reaction was to be thankful.

"It was a relief, really. When I found out what it was compared to what I thought it was," he said with a laugh.

Frontier Woodworks, which specializes in high-end doors, millwork and custom carpentry, had been devastated.

Still, the Hatches said rebuilding became the priority almost immediately, not only for themselves, but also for the people who depended on the business.

"I feel like my employees that aren't blood are family to me as well," said Dusty.

For the next year, Frontier Woodworks continued operating from a large tent while a new building went up.

Employees kept filling customer orders, though at a much slower pace because much of the shop's equipment had been destroyed.

A mild winter helped make the temporary workspace more manageable.

"Everybody complains about the mild winter, but that was a blessing to me," said Dusty.

The official cause of the fire was undetermined, but the Hatches said they were told it could've been a faulty compressor where a lot of sawdust had collected.

The family also continued operating its attached floral and gift shop while rebuilding the woodworking business.

Now, on the exact one-year anniversary of the fire, Frontier Woodworks and The Farmhouse at Spring Hollow will welcome customers back during a grand reopening Friday and Saturday.

The Hatches hope the reopening marks the beginning of a new chapter for the family business, allowing them to continue the craftsmanship and reputation they have spent years building.

"It should be a good time," said Raychel. "We're excited."

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