Trevor Cook, 33 is a project manager and woodworker. He does home repairs and remodeling through his company Particular Home. Cook also builds custom furniture and his work was recently featured in New York Magazine. His latest project is Particular Ritual, a line of finely crafted Menorahs, Seder Plates and other ritual objects. This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

KW: How did you or your family come to Kingston?

TC: We lived in Brooklyn for ten years and we have some really good friends, Nina and Chris, who moved up here in 2020. We spent a bunch of time with them traveling up from the city and just really loved it here. We looked at a bunch of other places but nowhere quite combined the closeness of nature and supportive community. Just all the things that Kingston has to offer.

KW: What do you like about Kingston?

TC: Nature and community are definitely the top two. It’s calm and it’s a good size, there’s a lot less of the rat-race. “What do you do” is not typically the first question people ask. People are more interested in your hobbies and creativity than your career. Of course there’s a lot of influx from New York City which I appreciate but I also appreciate the distance from New York City. There’s definitely a history of woodworking in the area and locals have been able to help me out. In addition to high-end woodworking, I do typical handyman stuff like home repairs and there’s a huge demand for that. I like to help fill that need and give back to Kingston, use my skills in a way that gives back to the community.

KW: What would you change about Kingston?

TC: I would love to see more affordable housing. It was tough to find a reasonable apartment when we moved.

KW: How do you think Kingston will be different in ten years?

TC: It’s already become a lot more expensive and I hope that trend doesn’t continue. I hope it will become more affordable, inclusive and climate resilient. I worry that it won’t but I’ll do what I can to provide sustainable home services and definitely stay involved with organizations like For the Many.