Booming Business in Bethany

A wide and colourful selection f cottage chairs and furniture can be found at Poly & Wood on Highway 7A. Photo: Melodie Seto

A wide and colourful selection f cottage chairs and furniture can be found at Poly & Wood on Highway 7A. Photo: Melodie Seto

By: Melodie Seto

Along Highway 7A, there is a clearing where rows and rows of eye-catchingly colourful cottage chairs, tables, and other similar furniture are displayed.  This scene is one of several business enterprises run by the Irwin family. Willow Green LTD’s cottage furniture business, which goes by the name Poly & Wood, first opened its doors in 2010 with only a few chairs in the front yard of Derryl and Tammy Irwin’s farm. Tammy recalls that in those days they were frequently mistaken for a Bed and Breakfast, but not anymore! This business has undergone numerous changes and improvements since then and now offers one of Ontario’s largest selections of recycled plastic outdoor furniture.

These beautiful furniture designs are created by Tammy Irwin and six other Amish crafting companies. Photo: Melodie Seto

These beautiful furniture designs are created by Tammy Irwin and six other Amish crafting companies. Photo: Melodie Seto

Although the business attracts customers from all over, the Irwins make sure that their business remains focused on supporting the community. From hiring students in the area and showcasing the work of local artists and craftsmen to purchasing their supplies from places like the Millbrook Home Hardware, Tammy and Derryl take pride in their efforts to help support businesses within the community.Tammy believes that small businesses are an essential part of the Canadian economy, and for that reason, the family wants to do their part to support local efforts.

For the environmentally- concerned, all of the cottage furniture is crafted out of recycled plastic from landfills. This eco-friendly material is a high density polyethylene material (HDPE) that is durable and maintenance free. Poly & Wood has furniture supplied by 6 companies plus their own design line. These 6 enterprises are run byAmish craftsmen from across North America who do not feel comfortable with the thought of dealing with large corporations. Poly and Wood provides these craftsmen with a distribution channel that supports the same ideals and family-oriented business operations. “Each one is different in the way they communicate and do business; they are funny and fair. We have a great relationship with all of them,” remarks Tammy as she recalls the different ways that she converses with each supplier from cell phones to fax machines to ground lines – each holds a different level of traditionalism…

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