Photograph by John E. McDonald
Over a round of beanbag toss at a Thanksgiving get-together in 2014, brothers-in-law Dwain Cox and Chris Jones decided they could elevate the humble lawn game, which is usually associated more with “frat party” than fine craftsmanship. The next year they launched Colter Atelier, a line of high-end recreational goods, starting with handmade cornhole boards. “We wanted to make boards that were timeless and inspired by furniture—something that could be passed down through generations,” says Cox, who heads up restaurant design at Chick-fil-A; Jones is a Tennessee-based woodworker. Each of the four styles is a nod to a different architectural period. Antique heart pine and maple, for example, pays homage to early American farm tables; red-painted reclaimed wormy chestnut and maple is a reflection on Appalachian barns. At $2,580 they don’t run cheap, but all net proceeds help feed Atlanta’s homeless.
This article originally appeared in our June 2016 issue.
