Ithaca Stove Works’ Tim Reynolds shares history

Growing up in Sherburne, New York, between Norwich and Hamilton in Chenango County, Tim Reynolds loved spending time outdoors. Graduating from SUNY Morrisville with a conservation degree, Tim was a natural to work at Richard E. Reynolds Game Farm in the Ithaca area for five years. He liked the work, and he loved this area.

Every winter, Tim had two months off. Answering an ad in a local paper seeking a wood stove installer, Tim began working with Ithaca Stove Works founder Michael Leach in 1998.

“I liked working with Mike, and I grew up heating with wood and enjoyed learning the technical, safety aspects, so it was a good fit,” Tim said.

Before long, Tim left the Game Farm to work full time with Ithaca Stove Works, where he is now in his 23rd year.

“The people we work with makes all the difference,” he said. “I like the Ithaca Stove Works folks and I like the work. Michael Leach began operations in a small alley behind State Street buildings, and now, Ithaca Stove Works is on Green and Meadow streets. We have plenty of off-street parking and a large warehouse nearby.”

Leach sold his business to Andrew Boerman in 2012, and Tim thinks working with Andy is great.

“Not only is Andy terrific, but he has a fine crew at Agway and is a supportive boss with Ithaca Stove Works, so it can carry on its work in this region,” Tim said. “Andy puts a premium on customer service, which keeps our calendar filled and the phones ringing.”

Mike spent many years learning the ropes, every rule, regulation and specification for all things woodstove — and more.

“During the pandemic, we’ve seen a resurgence of freestanding stoves, woodstoves of all shapes and sizes, makes and models,” Tim said. “Natural gas appliances put out 30,000 BTUs, and the ambiance can’t be beat, not to mention the zero-clearance stoves that make installation simpler and less expensive than wood stoves and fit into spaces that were never possible before. If our power goes out, a gas stove can keep on burning, without connectivity to the thermostat.”

Since 2012, Tim no longer does the installations in homes and businesses, but he makes it happen. As director of operations, he has the system down to a science.

Tim does the estimates for all installations. He is the face of Ithaca Stove Works to new clients. Those who have had the opportunity to work with Tim know he is a fine ambassador for the business. And his 14 years of hands-on installations make him the ideal troubleshooter for both his customers and his crews.

He is friendly and calm, but he is also able to fit in four to five estimates a day, including the write-up of the service requested and what it will entail and the follow-up after the office staff preserves the info in the computer system. This is on top of the customer service that will be available so long as the owners have an Ithaca Stove Works installation.

As Tim goes about his day of estimates, he continues to communicate with his crews.

“I direct traffic,” he said.

Two trucks with his crews load up each workday. One truck begins the first installation. The other truck heads to the first service call: chimney and pipe cleaning, annual inspection and tune-up, repair to a stove part, etc. As time goes on, most of the staff become cross-trained, so they can jump in and help the other crew. Many have come to Ithaca Stove Works with backgrounds in plumbing, construction and other trades, and the crews have a wide range of talents for the job at hand.

Tim notes that having owner Andy next door at Agway provides greater flexibility than one would expect in a company the size of Ithaca Stove Works.

“If we run into a logistical problem and need a piece of equipment or a truck, or if we need another set of capable hands, Andy has both within his sprawling business,” Tim said.

Within walking distance of Ithaca Stove Works’ showroom and office, Tim and his crew have renovated and customized their warehouse over the years. Tim plans ahead what equipment to prepare for upcoming jobs and has things laid out before the crews are ready to load up in the morning.

“I like the Ithaca area, and my wife, Karen, and I have loved raising sons in Groton,” Tim said. “When I’m not working, we’ve spent lots of time coaching my boys in baseball for many years and spending time fishing with them. Now, both of our sons are in college.”

Now that it’s too cold for Tim to pursue the Brown Trout, you may catch a glimpse of him in one of the white Ithaca Stove Works trucks, headed to someone’s home to chat about an age-old way to heat their home.

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