Bud Smoot isn’t the type of guy who is content to sit around in his retirement. After running a successful advertising agency for over 20 years and then pivoting to carpentry as a tradeshow exhibit builder, he decided his golden years would be spent in his workshop, creating works of art.
Woodworking is in Smoot’s blood.
“Both of my grandfathers were carpenters, and I began learning the trade when I was around 10 to 12 years old,” Smoot says. “Because of this, I have always been a pretty handy guy.”
Inspiration
When Smoot retired, he enjoyed spending his days tinkering in his shop making furniture and other items for his family and friends. Always looking for inspiration for another project, it was a humble birdhouse that turned out to be the catalyst for a future business.
“I saw this birdhouse and knew I could improve the design,” he says. “I researched the native birds in my area to make sure the measurements would be functional and I also made sure to add a cleanout door to make it easy to remove the old materials. I then decided to utilize upcycled items to turn each birdhouse into one-of-a-kind works of art.”
Initially, Smooth gave his birdhouse creations as gifts to friends and family. They were such a hit that he was encouraged to sell them to the public.
Bud’s Birdhouses
Smoot began selling his birdhouses to the public about 15 years ago at local art shows. His creations were an instant hit, and it wasn’t long before he needed an official website and social media presence.
“I am not a tech guy and I was very fortunate to have family who was willing to help me in that department,” he says. “My son-in-law created my website and still maintains it to this day. My daughter handles the photography and my social media accounts and content. I am very fortunate.”
In 2020, during the covid pandemic, Smoot approached local Colorado boutiques to carry his birdhouses. Bud’s Birdhouses now can be found at various Colorado locations including, but not limited to: Hunt & Gather, Squash Blossom, Garden of the Gods Trading post, The Local (Parker), Mercantile (Monument), Finders Keepers (Palmer Lake), as well as in various mountain towns around the state.
As his business presence has grown, so has the demand. In fact, over the past three years, Smoot has built an average of about 600 birdhouses per year. You may wonder how many he typically makes per day to keep up with this demand?
“I now have around 32-33 different birdhouse designs. Some have a simpler design and some are very intricate,” he says. “I can make around six per day of the simple designs and the more intricate designs take much longer. In addition to building the birdhouses, I also spend a lot of time scouring second-hand stores looking for items that I can upcycle into my creations. I take pride in the fact that my birdhouses are made entirely from recycled items.”
Many of Smoot’s customers collect his birdhouses, which has motivated him to add a new design to his collection each year. His new designs are typically inspired by the interesting objects and trinkets he finds on his thrifting adventures.
Website: https://budsbirdhouses.weebly.com/
Instagram + Facebook @BudsBirdhouses