Editor's note: Mark Hall is the owner of Creative Coops in Grass Valley. He and his wife, Melanie Vesser, have moved Hall's chicken coop construction business to the former Hills Flat Lumber Co. site at the Idaho-Maryland roundabout in Grass Valley.

What goods do you offer?

The newest addition to peoples homes this year is more likely be a chicken coop than a new bedroom. Keeping chickens provides free, high quality fertilizer for your garden, and free pest control as well.

And besides the amusement of entertaining feathered pets, you get delicious, organic, fresh eggs. It doesn't get any fresher than your own back yard.

Creative Coops offers, fun attractive backyard chicken coops in a variety of sizes and styles. We make it easy for homeowners to take a step toward making their home and garden a source of food self-reliance.

Hen houses are made to be placed on a stand; wheels can also be added so you can move your flock to fresh pasture and fertilize your garden.

Locals can buy the coops fully assembled from our workshop in Grass Valley, but they are designed to ship flat, and we sell them all over the US. through our web site. They are also available in a growing number of nurseries and garden centers across the country.

What makes you different from other coop builders?

All our coops are modular: You can start small and expand your hen house or pen size as you expand your flock.

Our coops are brightly painted and can be artistically decorated by customers, or by us, to become beautiful lawn art.

What's new?

We just took over the old Hills Flat Lumber Co. yard in the middle of Grass Valley at 115 Idaho-Maryland Road, which now serves as our manufacturing site and retail outlet.

It is perfect for our needs and revitalizes a long-vacant site near downtown Grass Valley. Come see our displays or sign up for one of our classes on learning to keep chickens.

We are about to hire our first employee through the Subsidized Employment Program, which is funded by federal stimulus money to help retrain workers and stimulate the economy.

What do you love about your work?

I love the design process. Engineering a modular product that provides what the chickens need and people want, and which meets UPS shipping requirements.

What do you find most challenging?

Learning about the shipping industry and retail distribution. Understanding Internet marketing such as search engine optimization techniques and social networking strategies.

What is your background?

I moved here from the San Francisco Bay Area about 12 years ago.

I have a background in graphic design and carpentry. I attended and benefited greatly from the Nevada County Contractors Association tech program in carpentry, where I learned the “right way” of building things.

My wife Melanie Vesser is our new sales manager.