Marcus Grooms, fueled by an unwavering passion for woodworking, transformed his love for the craft into Ohio Wood Connection. The seeds of this remarkable venture were sown in the wake of personal tragedy—the loss of his beloved wife, Pamela, in 2011. Amidst grief, Marcus took stock of his life, reevaluating his purpose. With conviction, he bid farewell to his 25-year finance career and returned to his true calling: working with wood.
Marcus’s affinity for woodworking traces back to his high school days, where shop classes ignited his creativity. Post-graduation, he honed his skills as a builder in the Navy Seabees, further nurturing his love for crafting with wood. In 2014, Marcus founded Ohio Wood Connection, starting from his humble garage. Since then, he has nurtured its growth, expanding to its current location at 8805 Lancaster Ave, Cincinnati, Ohio 45242.
At Ohio Wood Connection, Marcus specializes in all aspects of domestic hardwood. He produces and sells live-edge slabs; provides kiln drying, surfacing and center line rip services; and, custom design projects. His commitment to quality and craftsmanship shines through every piece that leaves his workshop. But Marcus’s impact extends beyond his business. As the former President of the Great Lakes Kiln Drying Association (GLKDA) from 2020 to 2023, he championed improved wood drying, storage, and handling practices. Through GLKDA, he forged valuable connections and deepened his expertise in kiln drying.
Today, Ohio Wood Connection stands tall as one of the tri-state’s premier suppliers of vacuum kiln-dried wood. From local needs to nationwide shipping, Marcus’s dedication ensures that his creations find their way into homes, businesses, and hearts across the country.
At Ohio Wood Connection, we’re passionate about preserving trees and revealing their natural beauty. Our locally and sustainably sourced hardwoods come from trees removed by property owners, private forests, and developers across Ohio, Kentucky, and Indiana. By upcycling existing resources, we avoid using new raw materials and benefit the environment. Our team mills the wood onsite into stunning live-edge slabs and raw dimensional hardwood, which we vacuum kiln-dry for our customers. Our wood selection includes Ash, Cherry, Elm, Maple, Oak, Poplar, and Walnut. Whether you’re a homeowner, architect, builder, or designer, we offer hardwood slabs in various sizes and species. Hobbyists and artisans also use our smaller pieces for charcuterie boards, wall art, desks, and tables. Let us transform reclaimed wood into finished pieces for your home or business!
We have helped hundreds of customers bring to life their vision for a desk, dining table, bar top, coffee table, shelves or island top. We show you a variety of kiln dried slabs, you select the wood and we hand make your furniture. Humbled to have served many families, individuals and businesses.
We are pleased to offer vacuum kiln drying and surfacing as a service. Vacuum kiln drying brings the wood to a stable and workable moisture level. Surfacing ensures a level, ready to finish slab.
We hosted a workshop on June 20 that focused on sawing, drying , finishing and installing hardwood slabs. Speakers included Marcus, Adam Jacobs from M. Bohlke Veneer and Dr. Scott Bowe from University of Wisconsin. Over 30 people spent the day learning, having fun and connecting.
Visit our warehouse to shop a wide variety of kiln-dried live-edge and hardwood slabs.
