Woman-owned · Handcrafted in Michigan

custom event carts, built with joy Handcrafted in Michigan ~ one at a time

Built one at a time for entrepreneurs turning a big dream into a real, rolling business. Designed with you, never pulled off a shelf.

Design Your Cart With Laura Book a call
3 yrsof building joy
120+carts handcrafted
100%intentionally built
Handcrafted Woodshop Joy cart
Woman-owned Laura, founder of Woodshop Joy, smiling at her table saw in the workshop
My story

Hi, I'm Laura, the heart
(and the hands) behind the joy.

People often think my name is Joy. It's not, but joy is exactly why I started this.

For three years I built carts on nights, weekends and summer breaks while teaching sixth grade. What began as a way to earn a little extra turned into something I genuinely love. This year, I'm retiring from the classroom to do it full-time.

I'm one of the only women doing this kind of woodworking, and I build for all kinds of entrepreneurs chasing a dream of their own. I think that's the coolest thing in the world. They grow, I grow, and I get a front-row seat to it all.

This isn't a rushed, one-size-fits-all build. I want to understand your business, design the cart with you, and create something that feels like it was made for the way you actually work.

With joy, LauraFounder & maker, Woodshop Joy
What I make

Custom carts, built with joy
Endless ways to make it yours.

I start from a proven, rock-solid base cart and build it around your business: the layout, the colors, the cutouts, the little details that make it feel like yours.

Coffee Carts

A signature wood top, drop-in sink, pitcher rinser, knockbox and fold-out shelves come together into a full mobile espresso bar on locking wheels. Each cart comes ready for plumbing installation, which I don't install in-house for now.

Charcuterie & Grazing

Your choice of stainless or acrylic food wells set into a warm wood top, with side prep space and fold-out shelves: built for styling beautiful grazing spreads.

Candy, Dessert & Ice Cream

Eye-catching display tops with wells for jars, scoops and toppings: sweet little storefronts for candy and dessert. For ice cream, choose insulated ice cream shrouds or an installed freezer cart.

Bar & Beverage Carts

Mobile bars with ice wells, bottle storage and generous serving tops. A newer style adds a two-level service area with a raised U-shaped top and a large work surface: perfect for dirty sodas, beverages and specialty drinks at any event or pop-up.

Fully Custom

Got something new in mind? Bring it on. Some of my favorite builds started as a sketch and a "could you make…?" Think nacho carts, baby-shower onesie carts, slime party carts, dirty soda carts, jewelry carts, farmers-market carts and brand pop-up carts.

Made to last

Solid plywood construction, smooth painted or stained finishes, and locking casters so your cart moves when you do and stays put when you don't.

Make it yours: explore our features

White, black or custom color
Custom well & sink cutouts
Fold-out side shelves
Parasol umbrella
Stained or painted top
Locking casters
Drop-in sink & rinser
Interior storage shelving
Custom panel front
Chevron pattern
Wainscoting
Custom molding
Cart Art

A few of the carts I've sent out into the world

Every cart here was dreamed up with a real person and built by hand for a real business. Tap any photo to take a closer look.

By cart type
By feature

Swipe or use the arrows to browse every cart →

Machines, freezers and containers aren't included in the base build; you choose what you need and it's added to your final invoice.

Client wins

My favorite part? Watching you grow.

A cart is just the start. Many of the people I've built for have gone on to storefronts, weekend markets and businesses of their own.

GRAZE Charcuterie Bar: a custom white cart with stainless food wells, styled for grazing spreads

"A grazing bar that styles a full spread."

A custom charcuterie cart with stainless wells, built to lay out gorgeous grazing spreads on site.

GRAZE Charcuterie Bar
Espress-Oh! Coffee: a black mobile coffee cart with espresso machine, syrups and a drop-in sink

"A full coffee bar on wheels."

A black mobile espresso cart with a signature wood top and drop-in sink, now pouring lattes at events and pop-ups.

Espress-Oh! Coffee
Get On Board Charcuterie by Kenya: a custom cart finished in brand pink with a fold-out shelf, styled with florals

"Branded in her colors, booked solid."

A custom cart finished in her signature pink with a fold-out side shelf, styled with florals and a QR code for easy booking.

Get On Board · Charcuterie by Kenya
S&J Cupcakery dessert display on a custom cedar cart with a balloon arch, cake, macarons and cupcakes

"The centerpiece of every event."

A warm cedar dessert cart that anchors show-stopping displays: cakes, macarons, cupcakes, balloon arch and all.

S&J Cupcakery
Stallion Coffee Co. cart: a white signature wood-top coffee cart styled with an espresso machine, grinder and cups

"A full espresso bar, ready to pour."

A signature wood-top coffee cart with a drop-in sink, built for Stallion Coffee Co. and styled for events and pop-ups.

Stallion Coffee Co.
Brew House Coffee Co. cart: a white cart with a wood top and a round BREW HOUSE sign on the panel front, set up as a coffee station indoors

"Furniture-grade, down to the panel front."

A coffee cart with a raised custom panel front and crown molding, built for Brew House Coffee Co.

Brew House Coffee Co.
Sugar Rush Temptations dessert cart: a white branded cart styled with desserts and toppings at an event

"A dessert table that travels."

A dessert and treat cart for Sugar Rush Temptations, with topping wells, a parasol and a glowing branded front.

Sugar Rush Temptations
le crème Espresso Bar: a white branded coffee cart styled with an espresso machine and cups at a bright indoor event

"An espresso bar that sets the mood."

A white espresso cart with a warm wood top and a branded front, built for le crème Espresso Bar and styled for elegant indoor events.

le crème Espresso Bar

Real Woodshop Joy carts, out in the world working for the businesses they were built for. Yours could be next →

Client journey

From first hello to rolling it out

No online checkout, no menus, no disappearing act. We design yours together, every step of the way.

  1. 1

    Say hello

    Send a note about your business and the cart you're dreaming about. I read and reply to every message myself.

  2. 2

    Dream it up together

    We talk it all through (cart type, colors, cutouts, shelves, umbrella, stained vs. painted top) until it fits how you'll work.

  3. 3

    Your quote & plan

    A clear quote with your exact options and a realistic timeline. Want to spread it out? We can set up simple installments first.

  4. 4

    I build it by hand

    Carts are built in the order deposits come in. Once your project's turn arrives, your cart is handcrafted one at a time with care, and I'll keep you posted along the way.

  5. 5

    Roll it out

    Pick up your finished cart in the Rochester Hills, Michigan area and roll it out ready to work, and watch your business grow!

Accepted payment methods include Venmo, PayPal and Zelle, with debit and credit card options available. Flexible payment plans available. I never want price to be the reason a first-time business owner can't get started. Ask me about splitting your build into simple installments.

Design Your Cart With Laura
Kind words

Loved by the people I've built for

5.0 on Google · 5 reviews

"Laura has an incredible skill. She built a mobile cart from scratch, and the result is amazing. I highly recommend Woodshop Joy if you're in the market for a mobile cart!"

TT. K.Google review

"Woodshop Joy was so easy to work with and very responsive. She gave weekly updates and designed us an incredible cart that helps us keep a good flow while serving our customers. We will be ordering our next cart this winter. 100% recommend."

JJaclyn H.Google review

"Laura was an absolute joy to work with in creating my cart for my business, The Sweets Carriage! She collaborated with me and helped bring my vision to life. I'd recommend her to anyone interested in getting a cart made!"

AAlexa M.The Sweets Carriage

"Highly recommend! Laura was such a pleasure to work with and my cart came out amazing. The set-up is so quick and easy."

DDukes S.Google review

"I reached out to Woodshop Joy after seeing her ad for custom dessert carts. I'm getting ready to launch a mobile cake business but wasn't looking for a full cart, so I asked if she could build something to fit just what I needed."

LLinda M.Local Guide · Google review
Let's talk

Design your cart
with Laura.

I'm currently booking custom builds. Share a few details below and I'll personally get back to you to start designing yours together.

Custom carts are quoted individually based on size, finish, cutouts, shelves, sinks, umbrellas and other build details. Most custom builds begin around $1,175+ depending on selected options. Simple installment plans may be available for approved projects.

woodshopjoy@gmail.com
Handcrafted in Michigan · pickup in Rochester Hills
Prefer to talk it through first?Book a quick call on my calendar.

All finished carts are picked up in person in the Rochester Hills, Michigan area.

Your details come straight to Laura, with no third parties involved. I read and reply to every inquiry personally, usually within a couple of days.

Got it, thank you!

Your inquiry is in, and it comes straight to Laura. I'll personally reach out soon to start designing your cart together. I can't wait to hear more.

Good questions

A few things people usually ask

Still curious about something? Just ask in your inquiry. I'm happy to help.

How long does a cart take to build?

Carts are built in the order deposits come in, so your place in line is set by your deposit date. Once your project's turn arrives, the build itself takes time depending on the size and details. I'll always give you a realistic timeline up front so you know what to expect.

Do you offer custom colors?

Yes! White and black are the classics, but I can paint your cart just about any custom color to match your brand. Stained natural-wood tops are an option too.

What materials and paint do you use?

Quality is everything, because your cart has to hold up to real work. The tops are made from premium birch plywood, and the base is built from sanded three-quarter-inch plywood for strength. Everything is finished with Sherwin-Williams Forte Urethanized Acrylic, a professional-grade coating that blocks tannin bleed, resists moisture and rot, stands up to grease and everyday wear, smooths the grain for a clean look, and flexes with the cart so the finish stays beautiful on the road.

Can you add sinks, wells, shelves or umbrellas?

Absolutely. Drop-in sinks, pitcher rinsers, knockboxes, stainless or acrylic food wells, fold-out side shelves, interior storage and parasol umbrellas are all available. We'll choose what fits how you'll actually work. (Carts come ready for plumbing installation, which I don't install in-house for now.)

How do accessories like umbrellas, sinks or freezers work?

You choose all of the accessories, whether that's umbrellas, containers, pitcher rinsers, a sink or a freezer. I usually order them so they're on hand during the build, which lets me get every measurement exactly right, and the cost is added to your final invoice. Some clients prefer to provide their own accessories and get them to me before the build, and others bring them along in person. Whatever solution fits your needs, we'll make it work.

What are the cart's dimensions, and will it fit in my vehicle?

If the back seats in your vehicle fold down, the standard cart should fit. Fully collapsed, it measures 56 inches long, 29 inches wide and about 12 inches tall.

How easy is it to set up, take down and transport?

Very. I design my carts to be easy to manage on your own, since many of my clients run their businesses independently. Each cart is fully collapsible, every piece is a manageable weight (the heaviest is 26 pounds), and it takes just a few minutes to put together or take down. No tools needed, and if your vehicle seats fold down, it will fit.

How do I get my finished cart?

All carts are picked up in person in the Rochester Hills, Michigan area. I'll have yours ready and walk you through loading it the day you come by.

How do payments and payment plans work?

Your spot in line is reserved with a deposit, and the balance is due before pickup. Simple installment options may be available for approved projects, because I never want price to be the reason a first-time business owner can't get started. I accept Venmo, PayPal and Zelle, plus debit and credit cards.

Can you build something outside your usual cart styles?

Often, yes. Some of my favorite builds started as a sketch and a "could you make…?" Send me your idea and I'll tell you honestly whether it's something I can do.

How do I start the process?

Fill out the inquiry form above with a few details about your business and your dream cart. I read and reply to every message personally.

Do I need to know exactly what I want before reaching out?

Not at all. Plenty of people come to me with just a vision and a vibe, and we figure out the details together. That's honestly the fun part.