News

Jul 05, 2023

From a bet to a business partnership: Milton’s Tool Wizard features repairs and custom apparel from Dawg House

Kevin Carmichael and Bill Heald started a small business together, offering tool repair and custom apparel services to their community in Milton. From tool repair services to custom apparel and more,

Kevin Carmichael and Bill Heald started a small business together, offering tool repair and custom apparel services to their community in Milton.

From tool repair services to custom apparel and more, two small business owners in Milton are offering residents a plethora of services out of their joint local storefront.

Tool Wizard and more featuring Dawg House Custom Appeal is a one-stop-shop. For those looking for tool repairs, or who are in the market for some customizable apparel, owners Kevin Carmichael and Bill Heald say they have customers covered.

“The tool part of our business started as a bet in 1999,” Carmichael said. “I had a $50 bet with a bunch of friends that I could last a year owning a business that repaired tools, and we just kept it going year after year.”

Carmichael said his business, Tool Wizard, was crafted from that bet, and quickly became a local tool repair service working with power equipment and pneumatic equipment. Pneumatic equipment are engineered tools that use gas or pressurized air.

“Tool Wizard works a lot with local roofers and other small businesses, refurbishing electric and air tools for them,” Carmichael said.

Excited to see how far his business could go and what he could offer the community, Carmichael became interested in growing his business. He wanted to do more than just tool repair services.

“My wife and I went and picked up our first cutting machine and computer,” Carmichael said. “Bill (Heald) used to be a machinist. So when he came, he says, ‘Oh, I know how to do that!’”

The cutting machine and computer were going to be used to offer custom apparel services out of the Tool Wizard business.

Heald said Carmichael and his wife were actually having an issue with the machine, and had called asking him for help. The two business partners met seven years ago, and the rest was history.

“I went in there, and it took me all of 30 seconds to fix the issue,” Heald said.

That’s when Carmichael got the idea that Heald would make a great business partner.

“It's more of an accident than anything else. He came into work for a couple days and has been with me ever since,” Carmichael said. “Bill (Heald) knew a lot more about the machines than anyone else I had worked with. I wanted to go into business with him.”

Kicking off their partnership in 2016, Dawg House Custom Apparel was added to the Tool Wizard name, an homage to Heald’s beloved service dogs.

The two collaborated as business partners and set up a home base in Milton, offering tool repair and custom apparel services to the community.

In the beginning, the two men worked outside of an old U-Haul warehouse in Milton until the owners sold the building earlier this year.

Now, the Tool Wizard and Dawg House owners work out of a new space, located at 174 U.S. Route 7 South. On June 4, Carmichael and Heald hosted a grand opening of the new location.

“This new spot really is the perfect size for us, it can handle what we need to do,” Heald said.

Community organization Milton on the Move promoted the grand opening event and local business, Humble Revelry, catered it.

Hopeful for a successful first year in their new location, the two business partners are committed to setting themselves apart from other businesses offering similar services, through honesty and community collaboration.

“One of the big things for us is, if we can't fix it, we don't charge. I wouldn't want to pay for something that can't be fixed.” Heald said. “Also, when I give a price that’s what it is. I won’t blindside our customers with unexpected fees or anything like that.”

Carmichael and Heald are devoted to remaining a small business, and want to stay a valuable resource for the Milton community. Their business collaborated with the Milton little league this summer, making all of the shirts and hats for the league and donating a portion of profits back to it.

“It’s really rewarding to go to the games and see little league kids running around thinking ‘hey, I made that shirt,” Carmichael said. “As a small business you’ve got to stick with other small businesses and organizations. We need to support each other.”

Tool Wizard featuring Dawg House Custom Apparel has hours from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.

“The best way to place an order with us for apparel or to get something fixed, is to come right into our shop,” Heald said. “The machines move fast, so it doesn’t take us long to get an order out, big or small.”

Interested customers can also check out their business website.

Written By

Staff Writer

Shannon Gunderson | she/hers | Reporter

Shannon covers local news and events in Milton, VT. Contact her at (802) 448-2068. In her free time, she enjoys wandering local trails and reading books in sunshine.

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