Timeworn Wood LLC

From sharing meals and building traditions to discussing the day’s events and tomorrow’s plans – endless memories are made around the dinner table.

It’s not just a place to sit. The dinner table is an open forum for connection and a safe space for deep discussion. It’s where homework gets done, laughter explodes, celebrations are had, and where one can find a moment of solitude at the end of a hectic day.

“Some of the greatest conversations we have happen around a dinner table,” says Jared Groebner. “It’s no different when you go to a restaurant.”

Jared and his wife Amanda own and operate TimeWorn Wood, a custom woodworking company based in Atwater, Minnesota. With their team of woodworkers and craftsmen, the Groebners create dinner tables (and much more!) for the masses.

Their work, which also includes bar tops, benches, and communal tables, can be found in restaurants, coffee shops, stadiums, hotels, and many other spaces across the country.

While they’ve reached great success since the company’s inception in 2009, the TimeWorn story began in a place of desperation for the couple, who had previously designed and built custom log and timber frame homes until the construction market declined sharply. By the end of 2008, the funnel the Groebners had relied upon had dried up.

“I started knocking on doors of architects, looking for any kind of work,” recalls Jared.

Finally, one architect in Minneapolis asked for custom tables to use for a restaurant project – a challenge Jared wholeheartedly accepted. The rest is history.

“One restaurant turned into two and then three, and so on and so forth,” he adds.

Though the years have delivered many wonderful opportunities for growth and development, Jared and Amanda reflect heavily on the lessons that failure has instilled in them.

“I don’t look at the success – I look at the failures we’ve had because those are what we’ve learned everything from,” says Jared.

The Groebners also focus on tried-and-true ways to continue reaching success, starting with prioritizing the quality of their product and the connections they make.

“Our longevity comes from quality, consistency, building good relationships, and really just being there for our customers,” notes Amanda.

TimeWorn is built on good relationships, says Jared, adding that the same sentiment stands true for their other relationships, like their banking.

“When we first met our banker, we knew it was a good fit – he could talk the talk, but more importantly, he was able to do things most banks couldn’t, and he could do it in a shorter time,” Jared points out. “He’s just been there!”

As Amanda recalls, they were initially introduced to Stearns Bank’s equipment finance division when they decided to add a computer numerical control (CNC) machine to help improve business operations. The machine has since been in use multiple times each week, helping bring TimeWorn’s creations to a whole new level.

“[Stearns Bank] is invested in us doing well,” Amanda says, noting that the bank made a visit onsite to see the CNC machine in action. “They’ve been so great to work with!”

Since their equipment purchase, the Groebners have also turned to Stearns Bank for commercial lending and full-service banking solutions to help keep the TimeWorn story beautiful and strong, just like the pieces they create.

“If we do need to expand,” adds Amanda, “and, we always have ideas about where we’re going next, we’re going to keep giving them a call!”