R. R. Branstrom | Daily Press In a workshop in Cornell, Mike Cretens of Country Roads, crafter of wooden furniture, builds a cabinet that was commissioned by a nearby church.

ESCANABA — 35 years ago, Pat Cretens founded Country Roads specifically to supply a style of furniture that was popular at the time. Homey wooden pieces with cutout heart motifs were in demand back then. Pat’s brothers, in a separate business, made larger-scale wooden items, but this particular niche was unfilled.

As trends changed over time, Country Roads, now in the hands of Mike Cretens – Pat’s son – continues to build furniture suited to bedrooms, bathrooms, halls and more for customers big and small. The products are now in a different style than what was in vogue in the company’s early days, and Mike’s work can be commissioned (built to order) or purchased at shows or by appointment.

Pat began by building home furniture pieces and taking them to shows. When ready to grow, Country Roads occupied a commercial space in Escanaba near the site of the former Kmart, both building and selling from that location. It was run by Pat and his wife, Cathy.

In 1996, the family moved to a home in Cornell, and right around the same time, the storefront moved to a space in the Mini Mall, which Cathy ran while Pat turned a detached garage at the new home into a workshop. When their son was old enough, he began to help out.

From his childhood, Mike remembers playing with toy cars in the sawdust on the cement floors of his father’s workshop. At the age of 14, Mike began working at the shop, and started helping by sweeping up the very piles that old Matchbox wheels would have loved to fly through.

In 2003, the Country Roads storefront moved from the Mini Mall to a building on U.S. Highway 2.

During Mike’s time as a student at Gladstone High School, the later part of his school day became “work study” – he left campus in the afternoon to work at his father’s shop, helping Pat while earning school credit for practicing the trades.

At that time, the boy hadn’t intended for woodworking to be a career. Post-graduation, he went to college for exercise science. Successful in his goal of becoming a basketball coach, he left the Upper Peninsula and fulfilled jobs in Tennessee, Mississippi, Missouri and Indiana. He was gone for about six years.

Just a couple years ago, Pat and Cathy were thinking about retirement. There was still demand and steady business for Country Roads, so it took up a lot of time, and according to Mike, the couple didn’t want to remain tied to the business until they ran out of vigor.

“They wanted to enjoy life before they got too old,” said Mike. “Some people think the storefront closed because it wasn’t busy, but business was and is booming.”

He moved back up north and worked alongside Pat for about six months before the founder stepped aside. As of fall of 2022, Mike is now running the show. He builds in the private workshop in Cornell; the showroom on U.S. 2 is closed unless someone wants to meet there upon appointment. That building is for sale, and Mike says that once it is sold he’d consider looking for another small storefront.

Examples of Mike’s craftsmanship can be seen at U.P. State Bank in Escanaba. Headboards, bedframes, nightstands, dressers, small cabinets, a locker and a five-piece dinette set are on display in a sunny alcove of the bank on Lincoln Road. All are for sale but also serve as examples of what Country Roads can produce if someone wants a specific item.

As he makes a lot of items to order, Mike will visit a customer’s home to take measurements, for a fair fee. He said that when he does a custom job, he usually makes a second nearly identical one to take to shows.

At the Home and Garden Show held at the U.P. State Fairgrounds, Country Roads was given a front and center booth space for its attractive pieces, and will reportedly occupy the same place again next year.

Maple, oak and hickory are popular mediums for Country Roads works. When people want painted furniture, it’s usually maple, Mike said, because the grain lends itself to solid coverage. Oak is usually stained, while hickory is popular with just a clear coat.

Mike said he prefers working with hickory; though it takes more effort, he enjoys sorting through the wood to select the pieces with patterns to make for just the right eye-pleasing arrangement of parts to produce a “calico effect.”

Tools and equipment in the workshop have grown over time, and usually are expanded upon if an additional piece will make a big job easier. The newest item is a bander.

The current major job Country Roads has taken on is for the Island Resort and Casino. The undertaking includes headboards, nightstands, tables and fridge and microwave stands for 115 hotel rooms.

“It’s the biggest order we’ve ever had,” Mike said. “It’s exciting and scary at the same time.”

Pat will slip out of retirement to help out with the massive commission. Fall is a busy time of year, especially as Mike also coaches at Bay College.

To purchase an already-built hand-crafted Country Roads original or order a new one, an interested customer might want to take a gander at the selection at U.P. State Bank. To contact Mike directly, they can get in touch at 906-789-1049 or Countryroadsfurniture@gmail.com.