Chriss Stutzman is a very busy Amish furniture maker who crafts beautiful furniture and cabinets in his spacious, well-equipped workshop south of Madoc, on Ray Road. He has been there for almost five years.
Self-reliance and woodworking are an integral part of Amish life. Chriss grew up surrounded by carpenters and craftsmen and decided at an early age that this is what he wanted to do. He makes most of his furniture from red oak. He likes the look and durability of the wood, and he finds it takes stain and paint very well and is surprisingly forgiving. He will also take custom orders and make things from wood that people bring him.
Chriss does not have a separate showroom, but you will most often find him in his workshop. There, you will see many examples of his fine craftsmanship, and he has photo albums full of pictures of furniture that he has made. He is very busy filling his orders. He does not advertise and gets most of his work by word of mouth. People come to him from as far as Peterborough and Kingston.
He is open six days a week and does not have a phone, so if you would like Chriss to make something you need to go knock on his door. He is a very friendly, approachable man who obviously enjoys what he does.