Barrels to chairs: Barrel proprietor Pedro Meza wastes not with Eco-Wine Furniture

At 619 S. Oakley Ave. in Santa Maria, a warehouse contains rows upon rows of barrels stacked to the ceiling. The faint smell of oak permeates the air, and the forklift back-up alarms emanating from outside are punctuated by the occasional sound of power tools inside the wood shop. It’s just another day at Pedro Meza’s shop, Eco-Wine Furniture.

Originally from the Mexican state of Jalisco, Meza came to Santa Maria when he was 20 and found work in the grape fields. He worked for various wineries such as Kendall Jackson and Meridian. But when Meridian closed down its Santa Maria plant some years ago, Meza started his own company selling used barrels.

Now at 49 years old, Meza buys used wine barrels from across the globe (locally, too), disassembles them, and uses the pieces to make chairs, tables, benches, coolers, wine racks, and various other household items. 

While Meza may now be known for making and selling furniture, he’s more known within the wine and beer industry as a barrel proprietor, which is how he got started in the first place. 

Not only does he buy used barrels, but Meza also resells them to wineries and breweries that use them for creating flavor profiles in their beverages. At least half of his business is reselling barrels.

click to enlarge Barrels to chairs: Barrel proprietor Pedro Meza wastes not with Eco-Wine Furniture
PHOTO BY DAVID MINSKY
A SKILL OF LABOR AND LOVE: Pedro Meza may never be a rich man, but he makes a fair living buying and selling barrels, and converting them into luxury furniture and household decorations.

Business has picked up too. He attributes the uptick to the growing craft beer industry and the art of blended wines—the flavor profiles of which often depend on the mixing of new and spent barrels. 

“That’s how it’s done in this business,” he said. “It’s selling barrels.”

His business relies on the good relationships he keeps with contacts in the industry. He typically buys used barrels at a price of $60 to $90 per barrel, which is a huge discount considering that new barrels go for anywhere from $500 to $1,400 each. 

The barrels are made of white oak—either Hungarian, French, or American. He has two types of barrels: those he resells and those he uses for furniture. With the latter, he lets the barrels dry out for up to a year before disassembling them. Even the metal racks that hold the barrels are for sale. 

The wood is the most obvious part of the barrel that’s used, but Meza also sells the metal bands too. And he doesn’t just sell in bulk, but he makes available individual pieces to customers who want to build their own creations. Everything is created by hand with simple tools in his warehouse shop on South Oakley. No over-burdensome machines, just simple labor. 

Barrels to chairs: Barrel proprietor Pedro Meza wastes not with Eco-Wine Furniture
TAKE A SEAT: Much of Pedro Meza’s furniture is sold at his retail store in Solvang. Come check it out at 485 Alisal Road, suite 137, or visit ecowinefurniture.com.

Meza uses minimal paint for his creations, since some barrels—particularly the ones that held red wine—have infused a slight red tone on the inside. 

Much of his furniture is sold at his retail store in Solvang, where it has become a popular destination for tourists. The Sun profiled Meza back in 2013 when he was beginning to pick up with his furniture business. 

Not much has changed since then. However, the recent large influx of tourists has caused him to build smaller items so they can take his products home, often overseas, Meza explained. 

Even though he maintains a retail store, much of his business is done online. Meza has a presence on Ebay and Amazon, as well as his own website. 

As far as shipping his furniture goes, he only ships within the continental U.S. and sometimes to Alaska—if the customer is willing to pay exorbitant shipping fees.  

When the Meridian plant closed, Meza was offered another position within the company with a good salary and benefits, but instead he chose to do what he loves. And it paid off, big time. With his business, Meza was able to send all of his kids to college. And even though he works a lot, Meza spends his lunch hour with his aging mother in Santa Maria and is able to take time off without needing to ask. That’s the advantage of being an entrepreneur. 

“I’m not really rich, but I’m making a living,” Meza said. “Life is too short. You have to do something you enjoy doing.” 

Staff Writer David Minsky wants a wine barrel chair with a beer mug holder. He can be reached at [email protected].

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