Our Story
Passion project turned business.
Woodward Throwbacks was created by Detroit residents Bo Shepherd and Kyle Dubay as a way to furnish their apartments while also cleaning up their local streets. The inspiration began with the duo riding bikes around the sprawling city in search of reusable materials that could be recycled into furniture and other home goods. The company quickly grew from a one-car garage operation to a 24,000-sq.-ft. facility that has received both local and national media attention and has been sold by major retailers, including Target and Nordstrom.
Detroit had over 80,000 abandoned buildings when Bo and Kyle started. Buildings that were full of usable materials and relics of the city’s great manufacturing and architectural history. As Woodward Throwbacks developed, the company began to focus on sustainability through original products created from reclaimed and recycled materials. Being able to thoughtfully produce quality products in Detroit was the goal.
As we’ve grown, so has our operation. We are constantly designing innovative merchandise around every piece of wood in the shop. Being a reclaimed wood company, we strive for a waste-free design process.
It’s not the easy way, it’s the right way.