Meet Riley Meisch of Meisch Made in Los Feliz

Today we’d like to introduce you to Riley Meisch.

Riley, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
I got started woodworking two years ago after I was laid off from my production assistant job at a marketing agency. Before I got laid off I had reconnected to woodworking while working at the agency and when I was let go, I took the plunge into owning my own business and started Meisch Made. I had learned basic woodworking skills from my Dad growing up in Ojai, he’s a contractor up there and he made me work every summer between school. He taught me a lot more than I thought, and when I started my journey into this craft, I had a great base to go off of and I starting expanding my skills early on. I took on projects that I wasn’t sure I could even accomplish but that was the only way to learn what I had to.

Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It’s been the hardest thing I’ve ever tried to do! The first struggles were acquiring tools, which I was fortunate enough to inherit some old Craftsman tools from a close family friend who passed away about ten years ago. His wife had kept the tools in his shop all that time until I showed one day and told her I was starting a woodworking business. So she he gave me everything he had and I started looking up manuals online for tools from the 80’s and 90’s. I still use some of the machines today, slowly upgrading them when I can. After that it was finding a place to work and finding clients that could trust someone just starting out. I worked for a while in the warehouse of the marketing agency, that’s where I started. My old boss was kind enough to let me build a shop space in the warehouse and I would pay him rent for the electricity I used. That was about 8 months ago and since then I’ve moved to a larger shop space and it’s been great. Really the hardest part has been getting my name out there and finding clients. I’ve been fortunate enough to have clients come to me with projects that always seem to expand my skill sets. I always want to try a new technique, or accomplish a new joint, that I’ve never done before. There’s just so much to explore in this world of creating things that I’ve become a part of; It’s really the most satisfying job I’ve ever had.

Please tell us about Meisch Made.
My business is custom woodwork and furniture design. I wouldn’t say I specialize in anything yet, I’m still developing my style as an artist but I do prefer working with live edge slabs. They are always unique, always beautiful, and always make such stunning pieces of furniture. Other than that, I’ve been really flexible with custom commissions. I like the challenge of tailoring a piece of furniture to the needs and aesthetics of a client. When I have the time, and the extra money, I’ll work on my own pieces of furniture and home decor items which I sell online through Etsy.

Do you look back particularly fondly on any memories from childhood?
Skateboarding outside my house every night during summer.

Pricing:

• Home Decor $45-$150
• Furniture (small pieces) $250-$1000
• Furniture (large pieces) $500-$5000

Contact Info:

• Address: 7331 Varna Ave
  Unit 16, North Hollywood, CA 91605
• Website: www.meischmade.com
• Phone: 805-223_5143
• Email: meischmade@gmail.com
• Other: 

Image Credit:
Riley Meisch

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