Meet George Ramos

We were lucky to catch up with George Ramos recently and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, so we’re so thrilled to have George with us today – welcome and maybe we can jump right into it with a question about one of your qualities that we most admire. How did you develop your work ethic? Where do you think you get it from?

I was born and raised in Bronx, NY, the oldest of four and the only boy. I was also the first grandchild in my large, Puerto Rican family so calling me a spoiled child was an understatement. My four grandparents moved to NYC from the island in the late 40’s, early 50’s and immediately set off working and growing their families.

We resided in a tenement building in which my maternal grandparents and their three daughters and respective families also lived. My mom’s brother was just across the street and my paternal grandparents a few blocks away. Both my parents worked and my maternal grandmother, our matriarch for sure, had a huge hand in raising us.

My work ethic comes from all of them. They all worked hard to raise families yet always had time for me and clearly all adored me and my sisters.

My dad and grandfather collectively purchased a taxi medallion in the 1970s and for 20 plus years they were yellow cab drivers. In the 80’s my dad also opened a gift/antique shop in the Bronx which gave me my first job. I learned a ton about antiques, furniture styles, finishing and design. As I grew older I started buying and selling on my own and in the late 80’s through 1994 my dad and I sold antiques together at a flea market in Manhattan.

Working as a part of my everyday life was never an issue for me, it was sort of built in to my nature. I have a curious mind and always wanted to learn how to make things, particularly out of wood. When I lived in San Francisco I worked in a very fast paced, stressful “corporate” environment and after 10 years of it I was truly miserable. That was there only time in my life when “work” overtook me and crushed my soul a bit.

I studied woodworking in my late 20’s with the idea of some day starting a small business and in 2004 my wife Rachael and I decided to leave SF and move to Portland, OR with our 2 year old son Gabriel. When we made the move I took a similar job (with a huge pay cut) because I was unsure of how to get a new business going in a city I had no experience with. 1 1/2 years in the company I worked for was bought out (ironically placing it under the same ownership as the one Id left in SF) and they laid off half the staff including me.

It was time. I decided to hang a sign (or rather place an ad on Craigslist) for my woodworking skills and I haven’t looked back since. it is physically tough work but I have control of my life, my finances and Im able to use creativity and now 20 years of experience to build full custom cabinets for a large client base in Portland. My family back east is very proud off what Ive achieved and what I can do and I owe it all to them and the hard working yet kind, thoughtful and loving relatives they have always been.

Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?

I own George Ramos Woodworking Inc, a small, local custom cabinet shop in Portland, OR. My history as an antique dealer/restorer taught me a lot about various aesthetic periods (Victorian, Craftsman, Art Deco etc ) and I bring that knowledge to my craft.

I specialize in period correct styled cabinets with modern hardware and accessories so while the kitchens may look original to the house the drawer glides, pull outs etc are all modern and make the space convenient to use. I only use high quality domestic hardwoods and plywoods and non formaldehyde sheet goods so the cabinets won’t off gas in my clients homes. I build cabinets to last as long as the houses both in terms of style and quality.

I enjoy designing cabinets for any space and collaborating with my clients or their designers to make the drawings reality.

There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?

It’s important to narrow your focus at first and to learn whatever it is you want to do. I always say learning a trade, and learning to well gives you the ability to earn an income no matter what is happening in the economy as a whole.

Every place needs plumbers, electricians, carpenters, cabinetmakers, tile setters, dry wallers and more. if you are good, really good, at any of these things you are employable anywhere you go and if you are entrepreneurial you can start a small business of your own and employ others as you grow.

One of our goals is to help like-minded folks with similar goals connect and so before we go we want to ask if you are looking to partner or collab with others – and if so, what would make the ideal collaborator or partner?

I am always interested in collaboration with like minded craftspeople. I have a keen interest in lighting, furniture, tiny house building (which I have not done) and many other similar trades. I would love to have a partner who can make custom cabinet hardware, custom tiles or other metal work that might relate to interiors.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.georgeramoswoodworkinginc.com
• Instagram: grwoodworkinginc

Image Credits

22 pages photography, Travis Stanley Photography