Richard and Mike Bordwell: A Brief History

Kendick Shop Newspaper ad from the 60s

My father and grandfather started working together in their Kendick Wood Carving Shop in Hartwick Iowa.  I really don't know why they called it the Kendick shop.  Obviously Dick is short for Richard and he was usually called Dick by his friends but I'm not sure how Ken was.  Unfortunately I don't know how this agreement came to pass because I was not born yet.  I'm certain I have relatives that do know but as of my decision to create this blog I don't have these facts.

They were know for creating wooden shoes and later cowboy boots, not for wearing of course but small detailed pieces for decoration.  Richard continued making these most of his life as well as other amazing carving I will cover on this site.  Mike eventually moved on and became a wood carver for Krauss Furniture & Clock Company in Amana Iowa.  These were my earliest memories of where my father worked.  At Krauss employees would make items, sell them to the company, the company would mark up the price, and place them in the show room for sale or for custom orders. It didn't take my father long to decide he would do to work for himself and keep the markup.  So he did, at first in our home for a number of years, then an old livestock building on my mother's parent's farm.

Eventually Mike moved to Irving Iowa turning the town's large dance hall into his shop which even included his own showroom/carving room.  He named his new location Country Customs although I don't recall him actually using the name much.

Richard always remained in Hartwick eventually expanding to create his own small sawmill on the site much to the distaste of his neighbors. Haha