Shelter Tools is the retail arm of Shelter Institute, a three-generation, family-owned timber framing education company based in Woolwich, Maine. Their curated tool store operates on a simple philosophy: if they sell it, they use it and love it.
Shelter Tools was running on a severely outdated Shopify theme that didn't reflect the quality of their products or the depth of their expertise. Navigation was clunky, product data was inconsistent, and their biggest annual sale—Toolapalooza—was managed with limited digital infrastructure.
In late 2023, we launched a fully redesigned Shelter Tools website—modernizing the theme, overhauling navigation, enriching product data, and applying Shelter's new brand identity. From there, we built out a full-funnel advertising strategy across Google and Meta, and took over management of Toolapalooza—handling code creation, website updates, and digital advertising. Our ongoing collaboration focuses on refining the product catalog to position Shelter Tools as the go-to destination for timber framing, woodworking, and homestead tools.
Since the redesign, Shelter Tools has seen significant year-over-year growth in online revenue, orders, and conversion rate. Toolapalooza has become a fully managed, multi-channel sales event that continues to grow each year. A gift card strategy we recommended—breaking it out into its own holiday promotion—eliminated double-dipping and turned gift cards into a meaningful, standalone revenue driver. The store now operates on a modern, data-driven foundation that supports continued growth, with ongoing catalog refinement and product page enhancements underway.
Reach out to First Pier and get the conversation started; the sooner, the better. They are the real deal.
Clayton Hennin, Marketing Manager — Shelter Institute
Shelter Tools had a product catalog and brand reputation that deserved a better digital home. By rebuilding the store's foundation — navigation, product data, brand consistency — and layering in a disciplined paid media strategy, every channel performed better. The Toolapalooza sale went from a manually managed event to a coordinated multi-channel moment that grows every year. The through-line is simple: good infrastructure makes good marketing possible.
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