My Story
Hi, I’m Parker the founder of Oak & Iron Woodworking, LLC. I grew up in the Northwest Illinois suburbs, where I learned to build and design alongside my father. After earning a business degree in Milwaukee, WI, I spent the early part of my career in sales, working for large corporations in logistics and financial services in Chicago. This is where I developed a sharp eye for detail and a commitment to high-quality results. Today, I combine that professional rigor with my lifelong passion for woodworking. I thrive on new challenges and I am dedicated to creating high quality handcrafted work for each client to enjoy.
Our Mission
At Oak & Iron Woodworking LLC, our name reflects our standard. We bring together the timeless warmth of natural Oak, sourced from authentic whiskey and wine barrels that carry years of their own history, complemented by the clean, structural strength of Iron.
We breathe new life into this storied wood, blending premium craftsmanship into every handcrafted piece of furniture and decor we create. Committed to a seamless client experience, we collaborate closely with you on custom requests to ensure every unique, personalized piece tells a story of its own.
The Journey
What began in 2014, during the junior year of college, as a custom beer pong table project has quickly evolved into a passionate hobby of creating custom pieces from historic whiskey and wine barrels.
2016
From paper to business plan
To earn credits toward his business degree at Cardinal Stritch University, Parker was challenged to create a company, write a business model, and pitch a product to real bars. Parker’s Custom Tables was officially born. While no bar made a bid that day, Parker didn't give up—he carried a folded 8-foot table into four different bars on Milwaukee's famous Water Street to get eyes on his work.
2018
Let’s get social
While balancing life after college and a full-time career, the itch to build never went away. After crafting a few more tables, the official Instagram account @ParkersCustomTables launched with its very first post on May 31, 2018.
2020
Bartstool Pizza review
American businessman and founder of Bartstool Sports, Dave Portnoy, opened a custom Oak & Iron, handcrafted "pizza paddle" during his live Instagram unboxing sessions during the pandemic.
Dave's reaction on the live stream quote: "Oh, that’s actually a good one, good material too… that might be the new one, that one is pretty F*ing nice…”
2021 - 2024
Seasoning the craft
Life moved fast over these four years: navigating a corporate career, buying a first home, getting married, and welcoming a dog. While production slowed to smaller projects like home renovations, a bar countertop, and some custom cutting boards, this period was vital for expanding business knowledge, investing in professional tools, and upgrading workshop space.
2025
The first whiskey barrel
Fueled by a personal passion for whiskey and a vision for a future "man cave," Parker had an idea to transform a reclaimed whiskey barrel into a premium cabinet. The very first piece came from a 2007 Woodford Reserve barrel found on Facebook Marketplace. It was beautifully restored, brought back to life, and sold shortly after.
2026
Oak & Iron Woodworking is born
After building and selling six unique barrels (and donating another), the business invested in a laser for custom engraving. It was time to evolve. A modern brand was crafted to represent a wider range of high-end, whiskey- and wine-focused decor.
Today
Oak & Iron made its official debut at the Chicago Home Show in April at the Lake County Fairgrounds. In an intense 30-day sprint, Parker built about 120 unique items. Second event was attending the Whiskey Washback in Chicago. A third event is planned for August 22nd in Rosemont IL
The official Oak & Iron website went live in April and was designed in partnership with HREN Creative LLC, making these unique, handcrafted pieces available to everyone.
More exciting growth to come. Stay tuned!
We closely collaborate with you on every custom order to ensure each personalized piece tells a unique story of its own.