We’ve had quite a year at Grove; so much has happened. We can’t believe the year has come to an end, and we wanted to reminisce on some of our favorite things that happened this year. From 10-foot-tall Christmas trees to tubing on the river, from re-designing products in one week to some of the most exciting announcements, 2013 was one remarkable year.
Moving Our Entire Workshop
This year, we moved our entire workshop from two floors of the Town Storage Building, which we shared with several other small Portland businesses and creatives, to a new location in Southeast Portland all our own. It was great to move from having our operation shared between two floors to having everyone on the same level. It’s also pretty sweet having our own building. We’ve had a good time slowly renovating and redecorating: we’ve even got an indoor mural by Japanese artist Mhak and an outdoor mural by Brazilian artist Marcelo Macedo!
Summer River picnic and Waterfall Hike
This summer was full of sunshine and good times. We made it a point to do some summer group activities. Our waterfall hike at Oneonta Gorge was a real adventure; the hike involved scaling a giant pileup of logs and wading in freezing cold water up to our chins! We also had an amazing cookout at the Sandy River. We set up a little food tent and made ourselves at home all afternoon. Highlights included intense games of frisbee, naps in hammocks, and tying all our inner tubes together to try to float on the river in tandem.
iPad Cases Re-Designed
We decided to bring back the Grove iPad case this year with the new Wood Smart Case for iPad Air and iPad Mini. The development process was fast-paced and exciting. Read about that here! The case features a new construction method and three versatile standing positions. Eastern Hardrock Maple creates a sturdy frame and a flexible bamboo cover gives you standing options, while strong rare-earth magnets hold the tablet in place. This is one of our most unique cases yet.
The Giant Christmas Tree
Joe surprised us this Christmas season when he showed up at the workshop with a huge Christmas tree that was at least 12 feet tall. We were all giddy like little children when the behemoth first graced us with its presence. The best part was that when Joe and his girlfriend Rachel picked up the tree, it was too big for the machine that compresses and ties up the tree, so they tied it to the roof of their little Subaru with its massive width almost enveloping the entire car and turning heads all the way down the highway.
What to Expect When Grove’s Expecting
For the first time in Grove history, we’ve got little baby team members on the way! This year, two team members are each expecting their first new additions to their families. Can you guess who the two parents-to-be are?
There you have it. What could 2014 have in store that could top this? I guess we’ll find out!
Written by Mary Yajko. She is a copywriter and member of Team Grove originally from upstate New York. She enjoys opened minds, uncontrollable fits of laughter, and large amounts of french fries with ketchup.