Issue link: http://www.insightdigital.biz/i/518838
w w w . i n s i g h t o n b u s i n e s s . c o m J u n e 2 0 15 • I NSIGH T | 41 the corporate name) was a supply of floorboards from a 19th-century Kentucky building that held 30,000 barrels of Jim Beam whiskey. ose boards — some still bearing the distinctive purple stains from spilled spirits — have been handcraed into many breathtaking items, including one-of-a-kind long meeting tables used at the new Initiative One headquarters in downtown Green Bay. Beam & Board supplied the raw materials to a local artisan, who then craed the tables to order. "We coordinate the efforts and put the projects together," Meyer says. Green Bay Blue in Green Bay has collaborated with Beam & Board on printing projects, especially those involving the Jim Beam wood. One interesting product is a coaster from the wood that can be printed with corporate names. Such projects bring out the "creativity and character" of the two companies, says Andy Heyrman, owner of Green Bay Blue. "We're able to capitalize on the character of the wood." e two companies share ideas that run the gamut, including notable décor pieces featuring printed images on reclaimed wood — achieved with an oversize flatbed printer that can print on almost any surface. "All of us are willing to try (new things)," Heyrman says. Beam & Board has also collaborated with several other local companies, such as elevate97 on a design project for the Lambeau Field renovations. And Meyer's style influence can also be seen at Kavarna coffeehouse in downtown Green Bay; Meyer owns the building. "I love old buildings, (and that is) very consistent with who and what we are," he says. Investing in old, for new ough corporate accounts are growing, about 60 percent of Beam & Board's business is residential, Meyer estimates. at's important, he says, because there is oen a misperception its products are more expensive. "We always run into the cost comparison with new," he says. While there is an expense to bringing the reclaimed treasures to a new life, Meyer says that investment "is a small amount that really changes the look and warmth" of a room. Meyer truly believes everything old is new again. Not only do vintage pieces look right at home in contemporary homes, reusing reclaimed wood is much more than trendy. It's eco-friendly. But consumers aren't just willing to shell out for old wood for that reason. ey know there is a history, a story behind each board. And that means, Meyer says, a board is not just a board. "We're selling knots and holes and stains and cracks; we're selling 'story,'" he says. O N T H E W E B Beam & Board, www.beamandboard.com