Today we’d like to introduce you to Jason and Kellie Sartain. Them and their team share their story with us below:
The love of woodworking dates back to the ’90s when Jason would spend the summers in Washington State chopping down trees and turning them into firewood. He had an eye for the different species and wood grain patterns. As a young college kid from San Clemente, CA, he had a love for furniture but could never afford the things he admired. He began to focus on how to build the furniture he couldn’t afford. Woodworking on the side, ministry was and currently is a huge part of Jason’s life. He spent years traveling to help start-up churches as a worship pastor in Georgia, North and South Carolina, Nashville, Florida, California, St. Louis, and Texas. In his mid 20’s he was diagnosed with an aggressive stage 4 form of cancer. This battle brought him to MD Anderson in Texas. Researching about woodworking, music, and God occupied his time. It was by the Grace of God and the hands of doctors he was saved. After getting back on his feet, he opened up a small business on Etsy. He worked a full-time position in the oil and gas industry while woodworking on the side making small tables and interior decor items. As his business began to grow, the demand for tools and space was evident. He began to look for property that would fit. Kellie, his longtime girlfriend, lived in a quaint town about 45 minutes west of Katy, called Bellville, Texas. Her love for Bellville was strong and she knew the perfect place for this not-so-little business. After a look at the property and an old building that was built in the 40s, the couple knew this was the place. Jason proposed to Kellie in April of 2019 and the couple married in November of 2019, closing on the building in October of 2019. Instead of a honeymoon, the couple drove to Fredericksburg for some inspiration. Fredericksburg was a place where the couple dreamed and brainstormed about their business, often. Restoration began and one year later in December of 2020, Sartain’s Awesome Shoppe, LLC opened its first Brick and Mortar. The couple transformed the business into a full processing center, showroom, and Sweet Shoppe. Milling trees to building furniture, mantles, and beams, the whole process from start to finish is what they specialize in. The shop is an inviting space that allows families to see the art of woodworking. While they specialize in all things custom, they have a beautiful showroom for you to see with home decor. Through this process, Jason and Kellie learned to hold loosely to their own plans and they continue to look for inspiration from God and special people that they know have been placed in their lives for a purpose. They learned to pray for what their dreams were and then asked God to bless them unless He had other plans or timing. Nothing was ever moved forward until they both had peace. This led them on a journey that is far better than they could have ever hoped for. The couple began to hold community events that are held at their property called Austin County Nights of Worship. It is a free concert night consisting of Christian music and community. It is their way of giving back to those in need and who doesn’t love music!? Their imagination and drive to continue improving keeps them busy, along with their 6 children.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey has been a fairly smooth road?
The largest initial struggle was learning how to tear apart an old building and still keep its character. We wanted to keep the history. If these walls could talk…. Another major challenge has been learning how to grow. We grew faster than we ever could have imagined and we both remember saying to each other we couldn’t afford to hire someone, but we couldn’t afford not to. Sacrificing and determination to work long hours to pay for the new employee, was the hardest, but the best decision we ever made. Because we have so many different entities within the business, we are constantly learning how to be innovative. Balancing family life is challenging at times because we are so busy and this is our livelihood. We are often asked, “How do you do this and raise 6 children?” The answer is we give ourselves grace. We know we will not always be the best at everything. Little things like shortening our business hours on Saturdays to allow for family and rest really helped.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
We have a 36” sawmill and a wood kiln so we are able to see the tree through the stages. It gives us a unique advantage because we are able to tell the customer where their piece came from. We make many things, but to name a few: custom mantles, benches, tables, beds, barn doors, beams, decor signs, business signs, and anything else you can think of made out of wood. Our customers come to us for things that don’t exist yet in stores to their liking. We are able to give the customer a design process that allows them to be a part of the creative aspect and gives them exactly what they want. You can even come to mill your own mantle! We are proud of the finishes that we take time to create and sometimes invent. Most come to us for that special solid-wood, heirloom piece that will last for generations.
What do you like best about our city? What do you like least?
We LOVE to go and eat at your different choices of restaurants. We don’t get away much, but when we do…. we like to eat well. Bellville has some great places too…. But it’s nice to get away to something new. We mostly dislike Houston’s traffic and congestion. We find ourselves getting cranky when there is a small line of traffic at the red light on the Bellville square. When we make a trip to Houston, we are quickly humbled. The downfall to living in a small town where everyone knows everyone is when tragedy strikes, it typically hits home.
Contact Info:
- Website: awesomeshoppe.com
- Instagram: @sartainsawesomeshoppe
- Facebook: sartainsawesomeshoppe
Image Credits
Photos by Amanda Peschel
