Man refurbishes chairs, motorcycle seats from shop
By JILL FICK
In the past 25 years, Terry Traver has found that pieces of furniture are like people — each has its own story.
He’s been upholstering and repairing furniture for that long, and while he doesn’t always receive the sofas and dining room chairs at their best, it’s a different story when he’s finished.
Traver said he took a factory job when he graduated from high school, but when the factory closed, he had a plan.
“My dad had done upholstery work part time a long time ago,” he said. “So I had him show me the basics, and then I went to work in Toledo.”
After working for others, he decided to open his own business. He worked at home until renting a space in Elmore. In 1992, he purchased the small metal building that sits near the intersection of Ohio 51 and 163.
The career change has been a good fit.
“I like it because I get to work on something different all the time,” he said. “And I like working with my hands.”
His business consists mainly of furniture upholstery, but he also works on boat, motorcycle and snowmobile seats, and repairs furniture.
“I also make custom-built furniture,” he said. “I buy hardwood frames and build from there how the customer wants it.
“It’s one of my favorite things to do, but it’s not a big part of my business.”
Repairing furniture seems to be popular, however.
“Most of the time, they’re really bad, and I have to rebuild them totally,” he said.
One in particular comes to mind.
“This lady brought in an antique love seat,” he recalled. “It was from the late 1800s; a real unique piece. I’d never seen one like it.
“Well, she had been letting her pet pig sleep on it. She asked me if it would be worth reupholstering and I said, ‘If you keep letting your pig on it, it won’t be worth anything.’ ”
So, the pig found a new bed, and Traver spent four 12-hour days bringing the piece back to its original form.
Traver has lots of sample books with swatches of fabrics, leathers and vinyls he can order. He uses seven different suppliers to suit the personal tastes of his customers.
There are several factors to weigh in determining whether is piece is salvageable.
“A lot of it, you can tell right off the bat from what brand it is,” he said. “Like Berne or Pennsylvania House. You look at the frame and springs quality.
“Also, if the piece is sentimental to them, they bring it in. Or if it’s a size or style they can’t find anymore.”
Prices vary by piece and fabric, but for example, a fully upholstered love seat would average about $650.
“The heavier fabrics are easier to work with because they don’t stretch as easily,” Traver said. “And dining room chair seats are the easiest to do. Those are a breeze.”
He’s a little old school and a little new millennium in his craft.
“I use many of the same techniques they used 200 years ago, but I also use new techniques too,” Traver said.
Instead of hand stitching, he might use a steel tack strip, or rather than tacks, he might employ his pneumatic staple gun.
But quality work is always the goal.
“Anything that comes in here, I like to try to improve it one way or another from how it originally was,” he said. “Like using better material or padding or fabric, or things inside that you don’t see, like adding extra braces to the frame.”
His customers seem to appreciate his work.
“I mostly have repeat customers and referrals,” Traver said. “And a lot of walk-in people. They see the sign and stop in.”
Business is great.
“I’m booked three to four months ahead year round,” he said. “I think maybe because there are very few shops outside of Toledo.”
Traver estimates he’s worked on 400 to 500 pieces of furniture in his career. And, so far, he hasn’t seen a hard luck story he couldn’t improve.
