CAZENOVIA — Mother’s Day weekend is a significant time of year for Cazenovia resident McKenzie Houseman’s two small businesses, Cazenovia Cut Block and 20|EAST.
Cazenovia Cut Block is a woodworking company that designs and handcrafts one-of-a-kind pieces from wood native to New York State.
The 20|EAST farm store at 85 Albany St. is a one-stop shop for Cazenovia Cut Block items, gifts, local art, artisan products, fresh flowers, and New York State-sourced food items.
On Mother’s Day 2024, Houseman celebrated the 15th anniversary of Cazenovia Cut Block and the seventh anniversary of 20|EAST at its current location.
Houseman is also celebrating the recent makeover of the Albany Street shop.
“We just did the renovation last Monday,” Houseman said on May 6. “After COVID, people weren’t as comfortable being near each other. Our store was cozy, but it was too tight. We wanted a more open layout. We have just made better use of space. We moved things around to have a better flow and roominess throughout the shop. [Moving] our checkout counter [up] front is my favorite change. I can greet customers as they enter and as they leave. It feels so light and airy even though we have all the same inventory.”
The new layout was designed by Jennifer Hughes, the wife of Houseman’s late brother, Tim Hughes.
Tim, who passed away in 2015 at age 39, was a self-taught woodworker and the founder of Cazenovia Cut Block.
He was a lifelong resident of Cazenovia and graduated from Cazenovia High School in 1995. He attended Milford Academy and went to the University of Rhode Island on a full football scholarship, graduating in 2001.
Tim worked for his parents’ company, P.J. Hughes Distributors, before launching Cazenovia Cut Block at the Cazenovia Farmers’ Market in 2009.
“He was doing [woodworking] as a hobby and giving pieces away, but everyone said he should do it as a business,” said Houseman.
The siblings come from a family of Cazenovia small business owners, going back to their maternal grandfather, Grey Barr, who opened the popular Brae Loch Inn.
“[Tim] was very inspired by our grandfather Grey Barr,” said Houseman. “He was always working away in his garage/shop. He caught the entrepreneurial bug.”
Soon after the business launched, customers started calling in the middle of the week to order items for pick-up at the farmers’ market. They also began requesting expanded offerings, such as custom countertops, tables, and butcher block islands.
Houseman was on hand to assist her brother with any aspect of the business except production.
“I worked the farmers’ market [and] handled customer orders, billing, and everything else it took to get the job done,” she said.
In 2010, the Cazenovia Cut Block showroom opened at 4157 Midstate Ln., just off Route 20 East, and in 2015, production moved to a warehouse at the same location.
In addition to cutting boards, bowls, wood islands, countertops, tables, and other custom pieces, the showroom started carrying other items produced by local artisans and craftsmen.
In 2017, Houseman opened 20|EAST on Albany Street and incorporated Cazenovia Cut Block into the retail space.
“I want to keep my brother’s legacy going for his children, the rest of our family, and the community,” Houseman said. “Everyone loves a Caz Cut Block. . . . All our boards are made by Neal Parker, [who] worked for us out of college. Ian Cornue also produced them for a few years to get us through.”
According to Houseman, examples of Cazenovia Cut Block’s work are the bar at Owera Vineyards, a cabinet housing a sword at the Brae Loch Inn, the Adirondack chairs at Windridge Estate, the coffee bean table at Dave’s Diner, the tabletops in the Seven Stone Steps, the map frame at the Lincklaen House, and a community table at Faegan’s Pub in Syracuse.
“The pieces are mostly in private homes,” Houseman noted.
Since opening in the village, 20|East has become a fixture in the Cazenovia community, and Houseman has demonstrated an ability to innovate and adapt to meet the needs of her customers.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, for example, she helped put many people at ease by filling her shelves with groceries from local producers, toilet paper, sanitizer, gloves, paper towels, and tissues rather than closing her doors. She also added curbside pick-up and home deliveries.
Today, Houseman’s diverse food offerings are particularly popular among customers.
“We do so well since COVID with all the fresh produce, bread, and to-go meals,” she said.
To view all the products available at 20|EAST, visit 20-east.com or stop by the store Monday through Thursday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Friday and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., or Sunday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
