“Never underestimate your talent and your worth!! Stay focused, with hard work and determination you can achieve almost any goal!”
— Bozenka Shepherd
Bo Shepherd was never afraid to follow her passion. With a background in design and an interest in home renovations from an early age, she co-founded Woodward Throwbacks, a reclaimed wood company based in Detroit. From humble beginnings in a small garage, the company has since grown to a nation-wide brand with several employees from the local area.
A LIFELONG PASSION
With a strong interest in design and a passion for sustainability, Bo feels that architectural salvage is her life’s purpose. Originally from New Jersey, Bo moved to Detroit for college at 18 years old, where she studied design at Detroit’s College for Creative Studies.
You’ll often find her dedicating posts on the Woodward Throwback’s Instagram page to her father and contractor, Desmond. She developed a passion for design and home renovation in her early years while watching her father work, and it lit a spark in her. “Many people ask me why or how I got into this industry [and] the answer is him! My fondest memories growing up was riding in his F150 traveling to different jobs sites or to Home Depot, which now as an adult I fairly enjoy going. My passion for home renovation and design definitely stems from my upbringing and I wouldn't have had it any other way,” exclaims Bo.
While biking around the city of Detroit, Bo saw potential in discarded materials and salvage. Equipped with a keen eye for design and good work ethic from her father, she began to repurpose her found goods into furniture and home design pieces with her partner, Kyle Dubay. Together, they slowly began cleaning up local neighborhoods, streets and buildings, bringing new life to the salvaged materials. Riding their bikes around the city of Detroit, the pair saw reusable materials everywhere they went - where other people saw trash, the two saw potential.
Starting out with the pair working out of a small garage, their company, Woodward Throwbacks, was born and quickly began to gain traction. Bo had a full-time job designing Chevy car interiors for General Motors when Woodward Throwbacks was created, but by late 2017, she left her job to focus entirely on the burgeoning business. The business quickly expanded, going from producing smaller household decor items to larger and more complex project-based designs.
THE POWER OF REPURPOSING
Architectural salvage and reclaimed materials have had a popularity boom over the past 20-30 years. As we all gain a greater understanding of the challenges we face in terms of climate change, people have opened their eyes to the many advantages of repurposing rather than buying new.
Offering a refreshing alternative to the mindless and excessive production and consumption we see on the market today, companies like Woodward Throwbacks focus on sustainability and history, integrating found materials into our modern lives. They make mindful and purposeful purchasing possible, by reimagining items and creating something new.
Preventing perfectly usable materials from ending up in landfill, the Woodward Throwbacks team use creativity and innovation to repurpose old items into something that can be used again. Sure, you can head to IKEA and pick up shiny, new furniture at very cheap prices - but they will never compare to uniquely design products with a story. These are reclaimed items that have a past, and thanks to Woodward Throwbacks, a future. With so many businesses focused on churning out new things, only for them to need replacing in just a couple of years, it’s refreshing to pause, to take a look at what’s already here and imagine how it can be repurposed to be used again. From doors, flooring, banisters, windows and much more, they are rescuing quality architectural salvage that would otherwise be sent to landfill.
SUSTAINABILITY
Since the beginning, this company has always been inspired by sustainability. Woodward Throwback strives for a waste-free production process for their items, with all materials and products utilized in innovative and creative ways.
Bo and Kyle have had a true focus on sustainability, not just within materials but within their community as well. Since their humble beginnings to their current success, Woodward Throwback has been focused on creating products that are affordable and accessible to most people. Their focus was not only on reclaiming materials and saving them from landfill, but also on renovating spaces such as vacant buildings, and to be a positive spark in the development of the city of Detroit’s urban landscape.
They wanted to create jobs for locals, which is a goal they’ve achieved - the company quickly grew from a one-car garage operation to a 24,000-sq.-ft. facility and a nationwide brand that now employs six Detroit locals. In addition to the employees, Woodward Throwback also has a resident shop dog called Ginger, who you can follow on her Instagram account.
LEADING THE WAY FOR MODERN MANUFACTURING
Bo has made her way and career navigating through traditionally male spaces. Discussing her work within automobile design and architectural salvaging, she has said that what the two spheres have in common is that ”they’re both male-dominated fields." As a woman in the field of design and salvaging, Bo has shown her true entrepreneurial spirit and followed her passion for building and design.
The appeal of Woodward Throwback is two-fold - not only can customers buy custom products and designs that are unique and special, they also get the satisfaction of knowing that they’re supporting a small, independent business with a strong focus on sustainability. It’s the true antidote to the use-and-discard culture, and their business model is a true inspiration for socially responsible modern manufacturing. Woodward Throwback is a company with a lot of heart, and an inspiring story to boot!
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