A piece
of ‘heart’
Ashriver Woodworks
offers handmade goods, a
bookstore, live music
BY HEATHER DOUGLAS
At Ashriver Woodworks in Astoria, furni-
ture pieces, bowls and other works are more
than just functional items.
“When buying from a maker, you are buy-
ing hundreds of hours of failures and exper-
imentation, days, weeks and months of frus-
trations and moments of pure joy,” Ashriver
Woodworks co-owner Chris Bjorkman said.
Woodworking had been in Delaney
Mahncke’s family for decades when he began
crafting from a Castle Rock, Washington,
garage in 2019. The Ashriver Woodworks
founder and master woodworker then made a
family move to Astoria in 2020.
Now co-owned by his wife, Amy Long-
‘YOU AREN’T JUST
BUYING A THING. YOU
ARE BUYING A PIECE
OF ‘HEART,’ PART OF A
SOUL, A MOMENT OF
SOMEONE’S LIFE. MOST
IMPORTANTLY, YOU ARE
BUYING THE MAKER MORE
TIME TO DO SOMETHING
THEY LOVE.’
Chris Bjorkman, co-owner, Ashriver Woodworks
street, sister, Naomi Mahncke, and her
spouse, Chris Bjorkman, the shop grew from
a homestead near Svensen. “We decided on
Astoria because of our love of the city, the
rich culture, the beautiful landscapes and its
storied past. We felt that this would be the
perfect place to grow our business and raise
our families,” Bjorkman said of the family’s
choice of shop location.
Three families now live and work on 2
acres, the four owners along with their chil-
dren as well as Naomi and Delaney’s parents.
Ashriver Woodworks’ items are made in a
shop on the property, surrounded by wildlife.
“Our chickens, ducks and a kind old bunny
Heather Douglas
ABOVE: The storefront of
Ashriver Woodworks in Astoria.
LEFT: From left, Chris
Bjorkman, Naomi Mahncke,
Delaney Mahncke and Amy
Longstreet pose with their
children outside of Ashriver
Woodworks.
Ashriver Woodworks
229 14th St., Astoria
Open from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
on Mondays, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
on Thursdays and Fridays,
10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Satur-
days and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on
Sundays. The shop is closed
during some Astoria Sunday
Market events.
www.ashriverwoodworks.com
See Page 15
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