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SHED OF DREAMS: FROM BACKROAD SHED TO GLOBAL BRAND

Throughout the pages of business history, it’s not uncommon to find an unassuming shed to be the birthplace for an idea. After all, if you need an affordable, comfortable, practical space to start out, a simple shed ticks all the boxes. So it’s not surprising that many household names that today sit proudly on big city skyscrapers, got going with more humble headquarters. You see it from car manufacturers to computer electronics to a particular brand of bicycles that you’ve probably heard of, even if you’ve never owned a bike.

In the winter of 1975, in a dimly-lit Wisconsin bar, two men settled on a name for a new bicycle company. One favoured “Kestrel” after the bird of prey. The other preferred “Trek”. A word from his native South Africa, which means journey. He felt it conjured images of travel and adventure.

With a name in hand, the two set up shop in a squat, red 7000-sq. foot shed in southern Wisconsin where they began to build bikes of extraordinary artistry. The shed would serve as the incubator for a company that would go on to imprint itself on the sporting psyche. One that would go from a backroad barn to conquer the highest mountains in the world of cycling.

There were only five employees on the payroll when the shed opened its doors in 1976. Together, they created a culture of free spirited craftsmanship and it showed in the product, which quickly earned cult status. In its first year, Trek produced 904 touring frames, selling for around $275 apiece. Two years later they started offering complete bicycles. After 4 years, the company had grown so much that they needed more space. In 1980 they purchased 10 acres of land not far from the shed that gave birth to Trek and construction of a 26 000ft factory got underway.

Today Trek bikes is one of the most recognisable brands in the world – even to non-cyclists. The name would also be inextricably linked to the pinnacle of all cycling races, the Tour De France (although perhaps for controversial reasons). In 1997, Trek signed a cancer survivor by the name of Lance Armstrong. He became the first American to win on an American team, on an American bike and, by 2005, Trek and Lance had rewritten the history books with 7 consecutive Tour wins. Although Lance would later fall rather publically from grace, the image of Trek and the yellow jersey is hard to separate. Today, the company is still recognised around the world as an iconic sporting symbol.

Although Trek’s headquarters may now be in a building much more modern and well appointed, they haven’t moved very far from the idea – and the place – that got it all started. In fact, it’s still on their property – just down the road. They not only kept their idea, they kept the shed as a reminder of what they set out to do in the first place.

To us, that’s the beauty of a shed. At ShedBoss, we like to think of it as a place where anything can happen. There’s no telling where a dream that starts in a shed might end up.

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THE NAME GAME: TOP SHED NICKNAMES

We love our sheds. Whether they’re hardworking tool sheds or hard partying man sheds, they’re part of our lives. Some of them are such a big part of the family, it’s hard to imagine life without them. And just like the family dog has a name, some owners have a habit of christening their sheds with all sorts of weird and wonderful monikers. Some are crude, some are simple, some are downright hilariously clever. All of them are as unique as their owners.

How each shed gets its name is usually a story in itself. Most of the time, it’s about the character and humour of the owner. At the end of the day, it’s personal. Just for fun, we searched the internet for some of the best most creative shed names in the world and then we had a go at thinking up a few of our own.

Top 5 Best Shed Names:
• Justin Timbershed
• Shedquarters
• Frankenshed
• ‘Ted’ (the shed)
• The Ruminator

What we love about all of these names is that there’s a story behind each one of them. Which one is your favourite?

Our top 5 shed name ideas:

• Right Said Shed
• Shed Sweet shed
• He Shed She Shed
• The grateful shed
• Ready Sheddie Go

As you can tell it’s easy to get carried away thinking of fun and clever names. After a while though, you realise that the best way to name your shed is perhaps not to name it at all. Sound crazy? It might not be. We think the best thing to do might be to let the name come to you.

You see, after months or years of working and living in your four walled retreat, it develops a character all of its own. When that happens, the name might simply arrive of its own accord. Whether it’s a thought that pops into your head, or if it’s something a mate simply blurts out. It might even be something your wife starts saying. Either way, the best names arrive spontaneously in a moment. And once they stick, they’re there for good.

If your shed is full of old motorcycle parts, you might end up calling it something like the “Bike Hospital”. If it’s the place to drink a cuppa and do a bit of gardening it might get a name like the “Tea Trowel”. Who knows.
No matter how your shed gets its name, it’s something to cherish. It signals that the shed has become part of who you are. We at ShedBoss love to see that happen. It means we’ve added something of real value to life. Nothing would make us happier than to do that for you.

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FROM CAVE MEN TO MAN CAVES

In Old English the words “shedde”, “shadde”, and “shad” meaning “separation” or “division” have been part of our language for centuries, but the shed’s history goes back a lot further than that. Sheds have been part of our society since pre-historic times and today they cast light on how we lived thousands of years ago.

Since the dawn of humankind, every culture has had its own way of sheltering from the elements. Early shelters were huts were made from wood with animal skins were draped over wooden frameworks. Eventually small abodes gave way to larger structures with separate rooms and when people began gathering more possessions, separate storage structures were built. The concept of the shed was born.

Even humans who lived in caves had something resembling storage spaces. They would use smaller caves or dig new alcoves within the caves to create space more storage. Ancient Egyptians dug underground bunkers, and lined them with reeds, for storing grain and other necessities. Early Europeans would often use mammoth bones and skin. Eskimos even build sheds in the same way they built their shelters – with ice and snow.

Archaeological studies of ancient societies’ sheds have produced some of the greatest insights into ancient modes of living. Storage sheds reveal a great deal about daily life in ancient times. They stored food, tools and items that were used day to day life. Sheds were used as workshops for making furniture, tools, clothing, shoes. Archeological studies of ancient storage sheds tell volumes about what the population ate, what animals they domesticated, what they hunted, how they farmed and the things they manufactured.

In southern Italy an ancient shed was discovered a collection of maple wood which indicated that it was part of a workshop that produced furniture for wealthy Romans. When mount Vesuvius erupted in AD79 it entombed the boat sheds of Herculaneum, where archaeologists found fishing nets, bronze hooks, sinkers and fish skeletons. Offering a fascinating look at another part of Roman civilization.

But the shed has always had more than just a practical use. It also symbolized status within the community. After all, not everyone had a swanky separate cave, hut or shelter just to keep their stuff. If you had a shed, chances are you were in the upper echelons of the tribe.

And this tradition continues until today. Where home owners build them to add value to their homes. Just like blokes build man caves to show off their toys, ancient people used storage rooms to indicate their place in society. It may sound strange, but having a place to store animals and tools separately from where you slept meant you were well off!

The shed has come a long way since it’s mammoth skin days. Today they are can include a number of creature comforts, including electricity, air conditioning and plumbing! At ShedBoss we’re building examples from steel and concrete with skylights, windows and motorized roller doors, that can stand up to the harsh New Zealand weather. Although today’s shed’s may be a far cry from those of a thousand years ago, they still fulfill our most primary need. People continue to stock them with all manner of things that add to their lifestyle and they continue to tell the story of the way we live.

What would your shed tell future generations about you?