A new purpose for wood, a new home for artisans

Melissa Woodward and Ghislain Avoine are bringing together reclaimed materials, custom craftsmanship and a community of makers

Ghislain Avoine and Melissa Woodward are creating new possibilities for reclaimed materials through their work in Trail. — Photos courtesy of Woodland Hillside

Some of the most interesting business ideas begin with seeing potential where others might see an ending. For Melissa Woodward and Ghislain Avoine, that meant looking at dead, dying and fallen trees on their West Kootenay property and imagining what those materials could become. Today, their business, Woodland Hillside, transforms rescued wood into an array of functional, personalized products, from serving boards and ornaments to signs, games and custom creations for businesses and organizations. Each piece comes with its own character and challenges, but that is part of the appeal: rather than working with uniform lumber, the pair finds new purpose in wood shaped by nature and gives it another chance to be appreciated.

That commitment to thoughtful craftsmanship has also grown into something bigger than woodworking. Based in downtown Trail, Woodland Hillside works with commercial clients to create branded products and has opened its doors to a carefully selected group of local makers through its Artisan Marketplace. As the business enters its fourth year, Woodward and Avoine are continuing to explore new products, strengthen their wholesale opportunities and build on the collaborative spirit that helped inspire the company in the first place.

We spoke with Woodward about the business's beginnings, the art of working with rescued wood, and how Woodland Hillside found its place in the Kootenay business community.

Who are the owners of Woodland Hillside, and what are each of your roles in the business? 

Melissa Woodward – Store manager, wholesale and commercial accounts, some product design and working with customers, daily business tasks, accounting and marketing.

Ghislain Avoine – manufacturing of all our wood products, product design and product development.

How did the company get started, and what was the original idea behind the business?

We had purchased a property in the West Kootenays and were working with the dead, dying and fallen trees there. We started creating products out of the wood. Then we came up with the idea of making specialty crate boxes with local artisan products inside. The crates could be converted to decorative shelves, and the lids could double as trivets. We love to design products with function and purpose.

What were you doing before starting the business, and what made you decide to become an entrepreneur?

Melissa was working with Columbia Basin Alliance for Literacy as a facilitator of family programs and a settlement worker with newcomers to Canada.

Ghislain was renovating old homes bringing them back to life! He loved to use old wood from the houses he was working on to create a new functional piece.

What was the first product you made and sold?

The Gift Crate Bundles, as they were called, were our first product. These specialty gift crates contained an array of products hand crafted by local Artisans.

What do you love about working with wood that has already lived another life?

The special part of the work we do is knowing that the rescued trees are being given a new life even though they could no longer survive in the forest. Losing trees to Mountain Pine Beetle, drought and other issues is very disheartening. Knowing that you are adding value to these once magnificent trees is such an incredible feeling. Seeing the joy of what our products bring to our customers is a dream come true.

Does working with rescued wood create challenges that you wouldn't have with conventional lumber?

Definitely! Wood grains, soft spots, knots and hidden surprises are always awaiting us as we try to add as much value to this wood as possible. Each type of wood has unique challenges. Engraving softer woods is also a challenge.

With all of this we still feel it is worth it to work a bit harder to preserve this wood that has been designed by nature. Showcasing this process and what you can do with rescued wood is at the core of everything we do.

How do you decide what a particular piece of wood should become?

Ghislain will take time to consider the natural designs in each slab and decide what it best suited for. Some slabs are completed to become live edge products like furniture, wooden games, plaques, signs and serving boards. Other wood is best suited to be resawn into strips that we make our smaller products out of including keychains, magnets, ornaments, gear tags and clips with names.

How much of your business is made up of custom orders versus products you design yourselves?

Our pre-made products that are ready to go are about a third of our business. What is growing is our work with businesses, organizations and teams to create branded products for them. We enjoy both aspects of our business, but it is wonderful to work with others to create products that bring meaning to them.

What kinds of businesses, organizations or groups are turning to Woodland Hillside for custom products?

We work with a wide variety of customers. This includes local businesses, organizations and teams as well as non-profits in B.C. Most of our work is in our local area but we also have clients in in the Okanagan and the Lower Mainland.

You've created everything from signs and plaques to keepsakes and games. How do you keep coming up with new products?

It is a big job to keep products current and functional, but it is inspiring to create products and then see them being appreciated by others. We have changed what we make over time and try to keep building ideas and products that have function for our customers as well as inspire them to feel good about purchasing a product that has added value to local rescued wood.

What has been your most successful product or product category, and why do you think it connects with customers?

We have noticed an increase in our smaller products like keychains, magnets and ornaments are the best sellers because they can be customized for personal use and business use very easily. They also come with a good price point when larger orders are made. This enables us to provide commercial customers with value and beautiful products they can feel good about.

You've also created an Artisan Marketplace within your store. Why did you decide to open your space to other local makers?

Our business started with the idea of collaboration with other local artisans. We opened the 1st room of the Artisan Marketplace in October 2025 and expanded to a second room in January of 2026. We have been very intentional in choosing the 9 artists that we currently have. We offer a lower commission in return for all of us working together to bring traffic into the Artisan Marketplace. Each artist has a specific type of craft and cares deeply about what they do. We don’t know what the future of this space will be as it is a very difficult time for art sales. However, we are enjoying each day with this beautiful space and see the delight on the faces of all those that visit it.

What does having a physical storefront in downtown Trail allow you to do that an online-only business couldn't?

It gives customers the opportunity to see our wide selection of rescued wood products. Being able to see and feel the difference of products made with our rescued wood. In this way we can showcase the breadth of work we can do.

What has been your biggest business lesson since opening?

It takes time to build a thriving business! The first three years are hard for many small businesses and Woodland Hillside was no exception. It is an ever-changing economic landscape now, so the trick is to find products that work with your target audience. Going into our fourth year now we have learned so much about what is important to focus on.

Where would you like Woodland Hillside to be three to five years from now?

We would like to build a team for production and innovation. Included in that work would be implementing new methods of using our rescued wood to better serve our current and future clients. We would like to expand to wholesale to be able to gain access to other regions looking for souvenirs and promotional items that are made in Canada. 

Follow @woodlandhillsidecanada on Instagram, and check out their latest projects!