Challenge: Rumbarger Woodworks was a newly formed, veteran‑owned small business with no digital presence. They needed a professional website that could tell their story, build trust, showcase custom woodworking projects, and support early online sales—without the budget or overhead of an agency solution.

Solution: I worked directly with the owner as a personal favor to help get the business started. I designed and built a custom Next.js website that combined brand storytelling with practical e‑commerce functionality. The site highlighted the family‑run nature of the business, emphasized craftsmanship, and made it easy for customers to explore products, request custom work, and get in touch.

Sanity was used as a headless CMS to manage gallery content and copy, while Stripe handled payments. The site was fully responsive, accessible, and optimized for small‑business needs rather than scale‑at‑all‑costs complexity.

Outcomes:

• Business Launch: Provided a professional online presence that helped establish credibility and trust early.
• Story‑Driven Design: Emphasized the veteran‑owned, family‑run nature of the business to connect emotionally with customers.
• Custom E‑Commerce: Enabled direct product sales and inquiries without relying on third‑party marketplace fees.
• Flexible Content Management: Allowed the owner to update galleries and content without developer involvement.
• Community Impact: Helped a veteran transition a personal passion into a full‑time business.

Platform Transition (2025): As the business matured, Rumbarger Woodworks migrated their platform to Shopify in 2025 and developed a custom Shopify theme tailored to their evolving needs. They no longer use the original Next.js design, but the initial site played a key role in launching the business and supporting its early growth.

This project reflects hands‑on, practical support for a small business at a critical early stage—prioritizing momentum, clarity, and craftsmanship over over‑engineering.

Showcase Video