About

Originally from New England, I moved west shortly after high school and discovered a connection with wood through log peeling. I developed a lifelong love of the mountains and nature, which reflects in my sculpture and lifestyle. Today I work in wood, creating stump carvings, commissions, and original pieces in northwest Washington.

Helmstadter Brothers Department Store History

In 1905 my Great Granddad opened the Helmstadter Brothers Department Store in McKeesport, PA, a steel mill town along the banks of the Monongahela River. My Granddad took over operations along with his brother until the store closed it’s doors in 1995 after 90 years of business.

Exterior view of a building with a retail store called 'Helmstader's' on the ground floor. The building has a brick facade, large windows, and a small bay window above the store entrance.

The store from the back, years after it had closed.

A tall brick building with multiple small windows, adjacent to a smaller brick building with a sign that reads 'HELMSTADTERS,' located near a road with a street lamp and a parking sign.