We had the good fortune of connecting with Thomas Porter and we’ve shared our conversation below.
Hi Thomas, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
My original plan for this space was to build an experimental showroom or “testeraunt”, as I like to call it, to demonstrate exciting new materials, finishes, and service items that we can offer. After we started building it out, I decided we should go all in and create a one-of-a-kind breakfast and lunch experience. Working with so many talented chefs and restaurateurs across the country, and being obsessed with great food, we were inspired to create our own space to showcase some of the amazing dishes and unique culinary aspects we’ve discovered over our years of searching the globe for culinary and design inspiration.
Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
My art: I see art in everything I do, from the furniture I’m creating in the woodshop to the doodles I make in the sawdust on the floor. I see it in the food I create, and I see it in the photograph of the food we put on Instagram for marketing. What sets me apart from many others is that I’m every bit as much a doer as I am a thinker. Ideas, to me, are not nearly as difficult as the execution of them. This is where my art brain and my engineer brain love to have coffee together. I get most excited about solving the logistical puzzle of what needs to happen to take it from dream to reality. My path to where I am now took me from banquet and restaurant server to web designer, graphic artist, photographer, videographer, massage therapist, musician, woodworker, metalworker, concrete fabricator, actor, barista, chef and more. I think the experience for me has been less like jumping from stone to stone and more like amassing a collection of those stones to build something with. Everything I’ve done has become a part of what I do now. No, it wasn’t easy, and there are times it’s been extremely challenging and taxing on both my body and mind. As a Christian I think I’ve been given what I can handle and I’ll be given what I need when I need it. There are people in my life that came around at just the moment I needed them to, and I have been a part of others’ lives the very moment they needed me. This serendipity, to me, is something that, paradoxically, was both out of my control and something I had to be consciously aware of pursuing when those moments came. The largest challenge any business owner will have is surrounding themselves with the right people. Whether it’s employees or customers, your target staff and your target audience are going to make your life’s work easier or harder, and learning how to bring out the best in both of those groups is a constant source of stress and of joy. As for other lessons I’ve learned along the way, there isn’t a day that passes where I am not learning something new. I believe that will always remain the case. There have been humbling experiences I wish I had the foresight to avoid, and there have been unforeseeable circumstances where I had to learn, adapt and even step out of my comfort zone. I am proud, though, looking back at those struggles and realizing they are mountains we conquered. Owning a business is a little like owning a 4 wheel drive. You find yourself in trickier places in hopes that the view is nicer. Sometimes you get stuck a little farther out than you’d like, but, for me, it has been a ride to remember thus far. As for a takeaway to share about our brands and what the world should know about me… I’m a big fan of Walt Disney’s view on “Plussing the show”. We’re always finding new ways to improve every part of our businesses. There’s lots more to explore and share and I’m excited to see where we are in the years that come.
Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
There are some amazing things to see and do in Arizona. I think I would divide it by the 5 senses. For sight and sound, I think the views and the incredible sounds (or lack of sounds) in Northern Arizona along the Mogollon Rim are some of the most amazing to experience. I find myself wandering into the forest taking in the breeze blowing through the pine needles, the creek sounds, and just nature in general. Most people don’t know we have the largest Ponderosa pine forest in the world here. Whether it’s mountainside or lakeside, that area of Arizona has always held a special place in my heart. For smell, I think a damp morning in the desert just outside of town has such a distinct aroma. The “creosote” smell, as they call it, just after it rains in the desert reminds me of hunting trips and hiking around with my dad as a kid. People who are not from here often don’t know or can’t describe the smell. It’s quite unique to the Southwest and everyone should experience it. For touch, I think building things with my hands is my go to. I love to create, and whether it’s woodworking, welding, ceramics, drawing, or cooking. There are some very unique places to find materials here for just about all of those things and I have a working list of them I like to recommend. My sister runs several farmer’s markets under the name “Get Local AZ Farmer’s Markets”. At home and in my restaurant I love using locally farmed produce. Finally, for taste, the obvious is to experience some of the best restaurants in the world. Arizona is one of the greatest places to eat. There are so many great places for budgets of any size. Whether it’s Birria from an authentic style hole in the wall restaurant or a Michelin Star worthy fine dining establishment, we have it. My favorite fine dining experiences thus far have been Christopher’s at Wrigley Mansion and ShinBay. For the local every day kind of eats, I like Birria Obregon, Guanaquito, Duck & Decanter, Little Miss BBQ, and so many more.
Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
From my first how-to books and homeschool education, to an active role as controller of several of my companies today, my mother, Cindy, has always been an integral part in pushing my creative passions to new levels. I am quite certain that the amount of effort she poured into fostering creativity and active learning practices has played a major role in what I am able to take on and how quickly I am able to adapt. She and my wife are my two biggest supporters. I would not be able to accomplish what we have done so far without their continual dedication and love.
Website: www.porterbarnwood.com
Instagram: @porterbarnwood; @thecoffeebuilders; @porterironworks; @ourblockco
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PorterBarnWood
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@porterbarnwood
Image Credits
Photo Credit: Grace Stufkosky