History
Founder Michael Bright first learned about woodworking during an Industrial Arts Class in 7th grade. This class was a pivotal experience that led him to pursue drafting, art, and woodworking classes throughout high school. Also, during high school, he worked with a local boat builder fabricating furniture for custom boat interiors. His next step was to apply in 1981 to a summer program sponsored by “Appalachian Center for Crafts” (Tennessee Tech University). His application was impressive enough to earn Bright a scholarship. The summer course focused on the art of wood lamination and curved furniture components, as well as the use of hand tools.
The experiences from his days with the local boat builder and the summer program in Tennessee provided a solid foundation for Michael Bright. In the fall of 1981, he was ready to start his own business, Bright Wood Works, in a small corner of a warehouse in downtown St. Petersburg. He set up shop with an assortment of hand tools and minimal power tools. His intention from the start was to create unique hand crafted pieces using heirloom techniques.
Each completed project gave Michael Bright more financial resources to upgrade the tools and machinery the company needed to tackle more complex endeavors. Over the past thirty-two years, Bright Wood Works also has re-invested resources in order to move the business to more desirable locations within downtown St. Petersburg. Currently Bright Wood Works occupies a 15,000-square-foot warehouse in the Grand Central district of downtown St. Petersburg. This facility is equipped with a full gamut of specialized machinery.
The experiences from his days with the local boat builder and the summer program in Tennessee provided a solid foundation for Michael Bright. In the fall of 1981, he was ready to start his own business, Bright Wood Works, in a small corner of a warehouse in downtown St. Petersburg. He set up shop with an assortment of hand tools and minimal power tools. His intention from the start was to create unique hand crafted pieces using heirloom techniques.
Each completed project gave Michael Bright more financial resources to upgrade the tools and machinery the company needed to tackle more complex endeavors. Over the past thirty-two years, Bright Wood Works also has re-invested resources in order to move the business to more desirable locations within downtown St. Petersburg. Currently Bright Wood Works occupies a 15,000-square-foot warehouse in the Grand Central district of downtown St. Petersburg. This facility is equipped with a full gamut of specialized machinery.