The Myrtlewood Factory

Beautiful little place. Very cool section in the back with different type wood blanks. Friendly people and great craft work!

My husband is an avid, rabid, woodworker. As soon as he saw this little shop — actually the largest shop on the North Coast — I swear he started salivating! Myrtlewood is very difficult to get both inside and outside of Oregon. Because myrtlewood is indigenous to only Oregon and grows slowly into a tree (In California, it grows mainly as a bush), there are strict regulations. The history teacher in me ;) wants you also to know that it’s also the Oregon State tree.
The shop owners, Richard & Patty Stanfill, are virtual encyclopedias when it comes to the subject of myrtlewood. The store is chockfull of beautifully made, bowls, platters, cutting boards, rolling pins, carved animals, lamps, wall art, etc., but we were there for the hobby wood, or raw wood stock (that’s woodworker talk). My husband was dizzy at the selection of blocks, flat stock, bowl blanks and much more. Needless to say we dropped a few hundred dollars before leaving the store. I have a feeling The Myrtlewood Factory is going to be a regular stop on our trips home from Oregon.

Unimpressed with the merchandise, very poor finish for very high cost. Upon leaving I got my dogs out in a weedy area of the parking lot. An old man hobbled out of the woodshop and lectured me about leaving dog poop (which I didn’t’). I won’t go back.

Located right along the highway, this building jumps out at you as you head south into Garibaldi. The factory is on sight and is the love child of a man who has devoted his life to creating beautiful things.
It is a very large store, filled with beautifully carved bowls, rolling pins, walking sticks and canes, wall décor, lamp stands, all made from the beautiful, multicolored myrtle tree. Some a little too quirky for my taste, but others, really gorgeous.
There is some really fragrant incense that I could not resist, also myrtle.
And a big selection of colorful geode bookends.
The back room, i.e. the «Wood Room», is for the hobbyist. You can purchase your own chunk of wood and create your own masterpiece.