It all started when David Leib was looking for new chairs for his dining room.
He wanted a game he liked, but couldn't find it at the price he liked. Instead, he decided to do it himself.
“I went home and made one. I posted it on Facebook and it went viral. “I've never done this before and I didn't know what to do. I just did it and people loved it.
It was this response that inspired him to pursue his hobby, which eight years later became a full-fledged business. Leib's new shop, A Cut Over Custom Woodwork by Design, at 706 18th Ave. Located in Malin.
He had a home woodworking shop for many years and recently decided to move to the old town to do business. The shop is still under construction, but the window shows examples of work that you can buy or buy from him.
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"I'm self-taught. I've never sat down with anything or anyone. I think I was born into it," he said. "I can imagine things that other people can't see, and I create them from my head."
Everything in the store is made by Lib, including Lib cutting and CNC engraving. Together with his fiancee Michelle Nguyen, he uses only wood from a local sawmill. According to him, his specialty is working with plates.
In the middle of his store's trading floor is a large dining table with sharp edges. Leib said he often hears from people who want something like this but don't know how to go about it. This is where it comes into play.
"We will guide you through any project you have in mind from start to finish," he said. "We're very good at working with clients and keeping them up-to-date. It's not practical to just have your idea."
At every step, he says, he sends photos and communicates with customers through photos and messages to make sure the final product is what they envisioned. For example, if a customer wants a dining table, all they need is a budget and measurements. Leb tells the customer which woods are suitable, cuts the panels and performs custom finishes such as epoxy or molding.
"We like new and original ideas because you can't find them anywhere else," he said.
Lieb can make anything from tables, benches and shelves to cutting boards, coasters and plates, but Lieb is best known for custom flags. He said copies were given to every local police and fire department in the area.
Customers often order flags as gifts and can customize them with a team, company or logo of their choice. Examples in his store include models for the US Marine Corps and Blue Lives Matter.
As a first-time entrepreneur, Leib admits he's a little scared to take the plunge and become a business owner, but based on the feedback he's received so far, he feels confident.
"The reviews are great and encouraging, but still scary," he said. "I think we're going to be great, I have no doubt."
Leib hopes to open the show in October after an open house for family and friends next month. Until then, he will continue to accept orders and be available to customers at ACutAboveByDesign@gmail.com.
He says the woodworking community in the Quad-Cities is very small, but he considers it important to the business. As long as a person has the idea, they have the ability to do it.
"Just because you don't get those things here [in the Quad Cities], we're enriched," he said. "Our goal is to be a resource for anyone to bring their ideas and creativity to life."
Stella Sawmill at 850 2nd Ave. W Milan is committed to sustainability by turning trees into wood, which its customers turn into masterpieces.
