DreamShop Story

CU
WOODSHOP
SUPPLYInc.
CU Woodshop Supply
HOME OF THE DREAMSHOP
DreamShop
St
ory
The
A woodworkers dream come true.
It all began when some local woodworkers
were lamenting that their home workshops
just weren’t big enough for the equipment they
wanted to use. They also wished they had
access to the latest tools and accessories,
somewhere to store projects as they were
working on them, and a place to interact with
fellow woodworking enthusiasts.
Well, all those wishes have now come true.
CU Woodshop Supply, a retail store offering
the latest woodworking tools, accessories and
supplies and The DreamShop, a memberoperated woodworking shop at 1401 Parkland
Court in Champaign offers local woodworkers
an opportunity to support their hobby and
perfect their skills. The project is being led
by some local business people and life-long
woodworkers who wanted to invest locally while
having fun.
Half of the 15,200 square-foot building
houses CU Woodshop Supply, Inc., a retail
woodworking supply store offering:
Woodworking supplies from Rockler®,
including their innovative and rapidly
expanding line of tools and accessories
• Drawer slides and hinges • Cabinet accessories
• Finishes
• Jigs and clamps
• Carving and turning supplies
• Books and videos
Exotic and domestic hardwoods and
cabinet-grade
sheet goods
• Domestic red oak, white oak, cherry,
walnut, maple, birch, hickory, etc., both
kiln dried and locally harvested air-dried
• Exotic and imported hardwoods such
as padauk, bubinga, zebrawood,
purpleheart, cocobolo, rosewood, wenge,
mahogany, and teak
• Veneer and inlays
• Hardwood veneered plywood
Professional grade power tools
• Stationary power tools from companies
such as Delta, Powermatic, Jet, General,
General International, and SawStop
• Portable power tools from Festool,
Porter-Cable, DeWalt, Triton, and Fein
• Woodworking accessories from Bessey,
Whiteside Machine Co., Kreg, Excalibur,
and Worksharp
• Abrasives from Mirka
Classes for woodworkers at all levels and
tool demonstrations by the manufacturers
The DreamShop
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www.cuwoodshop.com
The other half of the building is home to The
DreamShop, a members-only workshop that
also serves as a demonstration site for the
equipment offered for sale in the adjacent CU
Woodshop Supply store. If you want to compare
different brands, you can see the equipment
in action and talk to woodworkers who have
experience with those tools. The DreamShop is equipped with over
$150,000 worth of professional-grade power
tools and accessories, such as:
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Table saws, band saws, and miter saws
Drum, belt, spindle, and disc sanders
Jointers, planers, and molding machines
Router tables and shapers
CNC routers
Drill presses
Workbenches and assembly tables
And more!
The workshop also has a finishing room, project
storage areas, owners’ lounge, classroom
space and a library, complete with computer
facilities. The DreamShop provides a place
where woodworkers can relax, meet with peers,
and perfect their skills in a workshop that most
woodworkers only dream about.
Becoming an Owner/Member
Anyone owning shares in CU Woodshop
Supply can be a member of The DreamShop.
Becoming a fractional owner in the company
(a DreamShop Owner) requires purchasing
a share of stock, which gives the stockholder
a 1/500th share in the entire corporation,
including the retail store. However, because CU
Woodshop Supply is a Chapter S corporation,
the maximum number of owners by law is
100. That means that an owner actually has a
1/100th interest in The DreamShop.
Advantages to this ownership structure:
• Members who have a vested interest
in the workshop have more incentive to
take care of equipment, and to remain
active in The DreamShop.
• The retail store offers a way to generate
additional income to help support The
DreamShop.
• Having additional investors provides
funding to build the inventory up to a
sustainable level.
Privileges and Obligations of Owners
• Access to The DreamShop and
owners’ lounge whenever a manager or
supervisor is on duty.
• Use of more than $150,000 worth of
tools and accessories, as well as a
library and computer facilities.
• Discounts on purchases from CU
Woodshop Supply and priority sign-up
for classes and special events.
• The opportunity to interact and receive
help from other woodworkers.
Those using The DreamShop contribute time
to help maintain the workshop. They also pay
an annual maintenance fee to provide supplies
and to cover part of the routine operating costs,
although they can contribute additional time to
cover part of that fee.
Committees are set up to work on various
tasks, such as safety training and certification
for members. They also set the policies and
procedures for The DreamShop.
Ready to learn more?
If you’re someone who shares our passion for
woodworking and would like to join our growing
list of DreamShop owners, contact us today to
arrange a personal appointment or to attend
one of our small group presentations.
For details, email woodworking@
cuwoodshop.com or call (217) 355-1244.
1401 Parkland Court, Champaign, Illinois 61821 | (217) 355-1244 | cuwoodshop.com