Old-school craftsmanship
Aug. 3—With old-school craftsmanship, Paul Moss has built a career on repurposing and restoring local history
Prior to 2015, Moss wasn't able to claim the title of carpenter. But with his business Southern Heritage Restoration (SHR), Moss was able to adapt quickly, gaining the knowledge he needed to restore and repurpose salvaged lumber. Now Moss is much more than a carpenter, he's a storyteller.
No stranger to building things, Moss comes from a line of craftsmen. His grandfather was a block mason, and Moss spent nearly three decades in road construction. That is until 2015 when lending a helping hand to a friend led Moss to trade in a life of tar and asphalt for one of wood and nails.
"A friend of mine asked me if I'd help him tear down a barn and I agreed. The lady we were tearing it down for told us she was sending some of the wood off to have a table made and when she told me how much she was paying to have it built I thought "Damn, I can build a table,' and the rest is history," Moss said.
But with no prior experience in woodworking, Moss credits much of his success to his upbringing and the mentorship of Mike Roberts, who still works as a carpenter for SHR.
"I was just blessed with different skill sets. Growing up if you wanted something you either worked for it or you made it. There was definitely a learning curve though. Mike taught me a lot and there was a lot of trial and error," Moss said.
Beginning in a small basement shop across from West Elementary School, Moss quickly gained a reputation among the people of Cullman by crafting and restoring pieces for some of the most recognizable local businesses.
Moss' list of clientele include R.E. Garrison, Public House 412, All-Steak, Rumor's Deli & Hank's Sports Bar, Grumpy's and the Freight House in Hartselle.
His reputation began to grow, garnering the attention of designer Karen Tillery and the show "Barnwood Builders." and while Moss was scheduled to be featured on the Magnolia Network show, a storm disrupted filming by cutting off power to his shop.
Still, with nationwide recognition Moss has no issues growing his business, expanding to a larger shop with a storefront in Vinemont.
Crafting everything from porch bed-swings to end tables to gun cabinets and outdoor kitchens, the bulk of Moss' orders are custom spec customer requests either using a particular type of wood or sentimental lumber associated with the customer.
Moss doesn't limit his material inventory to barnwood, having collected items mostly from across Alabama, but also up the East Coast. Moss has restored a number of stained glass windows from churches in Birmingham and even windows salvaged from the AT&T building in Nashville following the 2020 Christmas bombing. Moss' most recent finding came from salvaging a barn constructed by the Welti family who first settled the area.
Moss says that —while they are becoming fewer and farther between— slow times tend to produce some of the more creative and "funky" items.
"There's been a good bit of up-cycling when we are slow, for fun. Just taking an item and seeing what we can make out of it. We've done beds, vanities... one of my favorite things is taking old dressers and making bathroom vanities with them. We will have to take out the insides to allow for plumbing but they'll have sinks and everything," Moss said.
Moss' top priority despite the order is ultimately his customer's happiness.
"Whatever we are doing we will work with them, to make it what they want. I want them to have their forever table," Moss said. "There's not a lot of people that still do what we do. Now it's all multiples of everything, but we are offering handmade quality work. I want people to see that old-school craftsmanship never dies."
