by Ted Scheffler

This time of year, many of us are beating the pavement in search of unique, high-quality, locally made holiday gifts. Well, Mitchell King has what you’re looking for. His handcrafted woodworks would be perfect for a wide range of folks, but especially appreciated by someone who is a wine lover like me.

King is the owner of Rocking K Barrelworks, a one-man outfit that produces handmade furniture and home furnishings that are made from locally sourced recycled wine barrels. I love what comes inside of wine barrels, of course, but I never realized that the barrels themselves could be made to look so beautiful and functional.

Mitchell King has been a firefighter for the past 25 years and says that he started Rocking K Barrelworks because “I love working with ‘found’ products; recycling used wine barrels is relaxing and rewarding. Each piece I craft individually, so each is truly one-of-a-kind. I don’t just see this as a job, but as a passion, and am grateful for every day to be able to create works of art from customers’ beautiful ideas.”

“I was encouraged by my older brother. He does similar products in Colorado,” says King. He adds, “I have not seen others building wine barrel furniture in Utah.”

When asked about the wine barrels he uses to create his handcrafted, functional works of art, King says “We source them from a local green demolition company. Most of the barrels we get originate in France. They are built out of 1-inch thick quarter-sawn oak. The darker interior is actually staining from the wine that was aged within. There is a difference in wine barrels and whiskey barrels; the whiskey barrels are charred before use, the wine barrels are not. We currently build our products solely from wine barrels. Each piece of furniture built is sealed with a top of the line exterior oil.”

Asked about the future of Rocking K Barrelworks, King says that in five years or so, “I would love to be retired from the fire service and building wine barrel furniture full time.”

In helping to get his business off the ground and for her continued backing, King says “My beautiful wife has been a huge support for me. I have never tried any venture like this in the past. With her backing and incredible patience we have been able to make a small local startup that we are proud of.”

For those thinking of embarking on a similar business venture, King says simply: “Give it a try, find a unique product and go for it.”

You can find Mitchell King’s Rocking K Barrelworks products at rockingkbarrelworks.com and at the upcoming Made in Utah Winter Fest at The Gateway.

OVER A BARREL : Handcrafted Functional Art from Rocking K Barrelworks