Photos: @dbswoodworking
Tradition; the handing down of information, beliefs and/or customs from generation to generation by word of mouth or practice.
From younger than he can remember, Daniel Shores’ grandfather had a huge influence on his life. At the young age of two he would sneak out of his room at night and climb into his lap saying “watch hock, watch hock” (watch hockey). Dan was six when his grandfather moved to Georgia where they lived: it was then his grandfather had the idea of teaching both he and his brother something new, woodworking.
The boys started making wooden toys for themselves but wanted to do more, so Mountain Woodworking was conceived. For several years, after school and weekends were spent in the shop creating the toys to sell at craft shows. Through his grandfathers’ guidance and teachings, Dan by the age of nine, knew about sales, marketing, and the basics of running a business, and could discuss cost of goods, and return on investment. Money earned helped pay for his first synthesizer and a down payment years later on his first car.
Fast forward to current day where Dan is a three-time Grammy nominated recording engineer that records almost exclusively classical music. ( He is also an adjunct professor at Shenandoah University; I think my son would love to meet him as he was a music major there)
Dan’s love of the Washington Capitals, nurtured by his grandfather, (who sadly passed away while he was in college) still runs deep. What started out as admittedly not being a “hardcore” fan (keeping up with the team online, radio, or a game if he was home) quickly turned into a full-on family fandom when his wife, Jes, bought tickets to the game on January 10, 2016. This happened to be the game Alex Ovechkin scored his 500th goal! Since then they have steadily increased the games they attend each season; hockey rules their home life (my kind of family); and their six-year-old son has begun to play ice hockey.
Dan, Jessica, myself and a few hundred close Caps’ “friends” belong to a Facebook group where we chirp, rant, cheer, and celebrate all things hockey, but most of all, the Washington Capitals. This group decided to have a viewing party during one of the away games this season, and select members brought Capitals merchandise as drawing giveaways. Dan wanted to bring something special and being in awe of Ovi’s success in shooting from his “office”, a rebirth happened. He took his love of woodworking, handed down by his grandfather, and his renewed love of the team (obsession) and began designing his first plaque. Although he had not done any woodworking in years all those years of working in the shop as a child came flooding back.
Making the plaques, Dan felt a re-connection to his grandfather, the man who instilled a love of woodworking and hockey in him. A tradition handed down from one generation to the next; a skill, pride, and confidence to try new things.
Grandpa is never far away now, as his eighty-six Dodge pickup that used to bring them back and forth to craft shows sits just three feet behind him in his shop, as he creates his plaques now for his woodworking company, DBS Woodworking . You can follow Dan’s new venture on Instagram and Facebook where you can check out his current stock of Washington Capitals’ players plaques and other merchandise. He may even take requests for a player you love but don’t see represented. I myself am excitedly waiting for mine of the top dog, who shall always be top dog in my eyes, Jay Beagle.
You can find out more about DBS Woodworking by visiting their Instagram page here, Facebook page here. and Teespring store is here.
By Lisa Desebrais
Very nice work, Dan!
Thanks SO much and thanks to Lisa for the wonderful article! It really means a lot that people seem to like them 🙂