MINNEAPOLIS GIFT & ART EXPO

NOV 7-9, 2025 - MINNEAPOLIS CONVENTION CENTER

I am a retired pharmacist and I make coin banks with old post office box doors.

I got started by making one from our own retired post office box door and it just took off. My wife named the company saying, “you just go out to your shop and make dust and noise”. (behind every successful man is a disbelieving woman) However, she designed the logo and helped with brochures and had logo wear produced.

This allows my passion for woodworking to have a creative outlet and the opportunity to work with all sorts of exotic hardwoods (sustainably sourced, I’m told).

When I get the doors, they are old and very dirty and/or corroded. I begin by cleaning them, oiling them to get the mechanism working, and then figuring out the combination. My older doors were patented in 1901. I have doors from 1915, art deco from the 20-30’s, the War Eagle from the 1940’s and the Grecian's made up into the early 70’s.

Each bank is unique and is a gift that is perfect for, “he has everything” or “he is so hard to shop for”.
Many people remember growing up going to the post office. I get numerous requests for a specific box number which someone had in the past.

All the combinations work, so there is enough technology, (I call in not high tech, but "medium tech”), that kids are fascinated by them.

I do a great business in grandkids as grandparents want to teach their grandchildren the importance of saving money.

Every puts their change somewhere so it may as well be in something cool out on the counter, rather than in a plastic container in the sock drawer.

Check out more of Bruce's products online, and be sure to stop by his booth at the Minneapolis Gift & Art Expo, November 2-4, 2018 at the Minneapolis Convention Center!

www.dustandnoise.com