Andre Arguimbau – Darien Artisan

Andre Arguimbau knows nearly all things timber to table. He is so knowledgeable about lumber and has decades of furniture building experience, note taking is recommended. He began woodworking as a boy and now builds some of the largest tables in New England. Arguimbau also operates a commercial sawmill to sustainably repurpose local old growth trees into furniture, flooring and beams. Above his workshop, you will find a fine art gallery with today’s finest active maritime artists.If you find yourself discussing art, keep the hour open.

We first met at Northeast Hardwood, his newest location at 170 Noroton Avenue that opened in 2023. His contribution to revamping the three-story structure near two popular intersections is praiseworthy.  

Some background

An interest in art and craft comes naturally to Andre. His grandfather Vincent was an importer of Spanish goods and a portrait painter in Darien. His father Peter took to Vincent’s hobby and developed his skills to become a well-known maritime painter. Add to this Andre’s passion for the outdoors and an early knack for woodworking, it looks as though his business plans practically wrote themselves.

His appreciation of craft goes back to his childhood, watching his father develop a career as a professional artist. But it was in the Greenwich Country Day School wood shop that Andre discovered his own craft. Amidst the sawdust and machinery he found his first mentor in Peter McKenna, the school’s wood shop director. Over several years, McKenna taught the precocious young man how to build furniture and, eventually, a nutshell pram. “Andre was always eager to put new knowledge to work,” said McKenna, who has remained in touch with Andre since his schooling days. “It’s one of the qualities that set him apart at such a young age.”

At Loomis Chaffee, Andre continued to grow his education in woodworking, learning to operate a sawmill. As leader of the Darwin Club, an outdoors organization, Andre worked alongside another mentor, Peter Gwyn, to build a cabin in the woods on school land. Alongside an education in craft, Andre followed his passion for sport. Andre led the Loomis Varsity Tennis Team to a New England Championship as Captain. He also captained the Boys Varsity Cross Country team and played squash.

Andre studied political science and economics at College of Charleston, all while honing his entrepreneurial spirit. During this time, he earned an EMT certification and a captain’s license, while operating a seasonal yacht management company. His work took him up and down the East Coast, with Newport, RI, frequently serving as his port of call. There, he joined a yacht racing program and ultimately advanced to master captain.

In 2015, Andre and his father purchased a historic ship chandlery in the heart of Newport. Under the stewardship of the younger Arguimbau, Mariner Gallery grew an impressive roster of artists and clientele. The new business did more than just renew Andre’s interest in maritime art, it reconnected him to working with wood and allowed him to partner with his father. The old chandlery building needed plenty of work before opening as a gallery. In fact, the historic structure required pretty severe renovation.

Andre put his knowledge to work. He milled and installed the beam work needed to make the building structurally sound. His hands had stored their own memories of the craft he’d grown to love in his youth. Starting up the sawmill again opened his eyes to another market aligned with his interests: hardwood products.

Northeast Hardwood

It wasn’t long before Andre was milling some of the largest trees in New England, his side hustle having evolved into full-fledged operations under the name Northeast Hardwood. As the business grew, so did his knowledge. The sense of craft is clear — you need only listen to him break down the subtle gradations of a hand-cut slab. It’s refreshing and surprising that Andre is 34 years old with the knowledge of a true aficionado. Get to know Andre and you’ll learn why.

Sustainable benefits

In addition to his craft, there’s a business acumen. Arguimbau was quick to recognize the sustainable upsides of hardwood products. By sourcing timber from development sites, decay and windfall, Northeast Hardwood’s milling draws hundreds of thousands of pounds of CO2 from the atmosphere each year. And by repurposing the trees in our community into our living spaces — as furniture and building materials— we avoid using materials that would otherwise require mining, manufacturing, or less sustainable forms of logging. Plus, people love hardwood. It’s a locally sourced product that connects an indoor space to its natural surroundings. Northeast Hardwood has begun planting saplings on Darien land to ensure a continuation of the existing biodiversity.

Why Darien

With a growing business and clientele in Fairfield County, a local center of operations seemed inevitable. Darien drew him for a few reasons. Family, for one — his grandparents lived in Darien along with several other family members. In fact, while on his way to a family gathering, Andre noticed the building at 170 Noroton Avenue and began an inquiry. When considering the location, he approached Chris Curran to partner with on the property development and the hardwood business. CEO of Tyton Partners, Chris has served as a mentor to Andre as they look to expand into the hardwood building products sector. Curran and his wife Heather remain an integral part of the expansion of Northeast Hardwood and Mariner Gallery to Darien. Chris and Heather have gotten to know Andre over the past decade through purchasing his father’s art and Andre’s hardwood furniture. “We realized we were in the company of an amazing artisan in Andre. His knowledge of forestry management, milling, tree planting, environmental preservation, combined with his amazing woodworking skills, compelled us to become partners in this prodigious venture,” says Chris.

Andre has been hard at work restoring 170 Noroton Avenue into a retail space for the past few years while also working on local projects. Last year, Wee Burn Country Club contracted him to mill the white oak that stood in the middle of the beach club patio. These pieces will be crafted into beach club projects over the coming years. Another local build involved Andre producing a 15-foot walnut conference table for the Darien Community Association’s 203 Project. Executive Director of the DCA, Erin Noonan, remarks, “Andre’s table is the perfect embodiment of The 203 Project, which was all about sustainability and community. He jumped into the project without hesitation, offering our whole team a behind-the-scenes look into his creative process as he brought a single slab of walnut back to life. In building a custom table for the DCA, he gave us a tangible reminder of our mission as a nonprofit: to bring people together. Every day, members of our community gather around Andre’s table to share ideas, connect through common interests, and develop even more ways to bring us all together.”

Another reason for the Darien location? Andre considers Darien to have one of the most beautiful sections of coastline in New England. In fact, its coastline features prominently in his father’s painted work. This September, Andre will continue the painted legacy of that coastline—with Mariner Gallery hosting the Darien Plein Air Invitational. The Invitational will bring together ten of the nation’s leading maritime artists to paint our community. Each artist has ample experience painting landscapes en plein air, taking in the most scenic pockets of New England through a unique gaze. The event will be held at Greens Ledge Lighthouse and the paintings will go up for sale on September 8th in the second floor gallery of 170 Noroton Avenue.

“I’m excited to be here in Darien,” said Andre. “The people are real, hardworking, family-oriented, and it still feels small enough to be a community worth being part of.”

On a personal note

When Andre is not tinkering with wood or putting together art exhibitions, you may find him hiking in national parks, playing racquet sports, sailing and walking Kiko, his 13-year old yellow Labrador Retriever. Kiko is a true member of the family, with his mother Mary having raised both of them before she passed away in 2013. Andre’s devotion to Kiko is clear, and if you’re meeting with Andre, Kiko’s presence is a guarantee.

Andre is pleased to have found a home for his businesses here in Darien. As a local entrepreneur focused on continuing a family tradition in the fields of fine art and woodworking, this place makes sense.