THIS PHOTO SHOWS a work in progress on a custom kitchen remodel that Jesse Parke of MC2 Woodworking has been working on over the past month. MC2 Woodworking specializes in residential and commercial remodels.
JESSE PARKE, owner and operator of MC2 Woodworking, has done commercial work at a few businesses in the Vancouver area. Shown here is a front desk area at a Vancouver business on Main Street.
SHOWN HERE IS a finished kitchen remodel that was completed by Jesse Parke, owner and operator of MC2 Woodworking. Parke enjoys blending woodworking with metalworking for a unique design and style.
ANOTHER FRONT DESK area at a Vancouver area business completed by Jesse Park, owner and operator of MC2 Woodworking, is shown here. Parke said he would like to continue to do more commercial work in the future.
BATTLE GROUND – Battle Ground resident and business owner Jesse Parke is aiming to bring the sleek, Northwest contemporary design look to the Clark County area.
“My specialty is metalworking and woodworking, I like to blend the two together at some point,” said the 37-year-old Parke. “I’m trying to bring that kind of design, the sleek contemporary look, to the area. The Northwest contemporary look is starting to gain some success around here. I’ve been doing this for around 20 years. I’ve done high-end kitchens, budget jobs and everything in between.”
About a year and a half ago, Parke and his family moved to the Battle Ground area from Las Vegas, and in January of 2015, he decided to start his own custom remodeling business, MC2 Woodworking.
While living in Las Vegas, Parke said he attended a trade school for metalwork after a friend of the family pointed him in that direction. After spending a few years doing metalwork, he moved on to a different job building custom cabinetry and did that for several years.
“That was during the time when the economy was doing really well,” Parke said. “A lot of dollars were being spent in renovation. I’m the type of guy who tries to do everything 110 percent and after doing that work for a while, I realized it was something I should be doing for myself.”
Through MC2 Woodworking, Parke offers his services throughout most of the Clark County area, working on jobs in Battle Ground, Vancouver, Camas, Felida and other surrounding areas. Parke specializes in commercial and residential remodel, including displays, custom kitchens and bathrooms, reception desks, and custom woodworking and mill.
One thing that Parke said he really enjoys doing with his remodel work is “blending the old with the new.” He described one job he’s been working on that includes some reclaimed wood shelves.
Another aspect of his work that Parke takes very seriously is the hardware in the kitchens that he works on. He said hardware has gotten better over the years, with self-closing doors and drawers and more. He also tries to be picky about his cabinet material.
“This is one of the big things that separates me from the rest,” Parke said. “I try to always use better quality materials. I’d rather make less money and put in a better kitchen than to overcharge someone for something that’s not that great.”
Something that Parke said he really enjoys doing in his work is mixing metalwork with woodwork such as including some metal aspects in the work like metal shelves.
“My background is kind of unique,” he said. “For the experience I have, you would need like three or four different trade guys. I’ve worked with cabinets, plexiglass and numerous other materials.”
Parke said one thing that he tries to do is not take on multiple jobs at one time.
“I’m a one-time-job-at-a-time type of guy,” he said. “I want to just focus on that particular customer at that time. Because I’ve been doing that, the past year (since I’ve been in business), I’ve gotten really great reviews.”
Parke said the majority of his jobs this past year have taken about a month or more to complete, and he will sometimes take on smaller jobs in between, but he only focuses on one larger job at a time. Most of the larger jobs he’s had have been kitchen remodels, but Parke said he can really do anything with woodworking.
“I make some really cool furniture – end tables, coffee tables – I’ve made some amazing beds,” he said.
Parke said he has also done some commercial work in the Vancouver area, and would love to do more. He said he also enjoys using recycled materials in some of his projects, including recycled wood, recycled glasswork, doors and more.
Parke and his wife of 16 years lived in Battle Ground with their two sons, ages 2 and 10. Parke’s wife is a metal artist, and he said she helps out a lot with the MC2 Woodworking business, helping with staining, building drawer boxes, among other things.
For more information or to talk to Parke about a possible job, contact him at (360) 281-3772 or visit the MC2 Woodworking Facebook page.
