Business Uptick

[baileyuph]

The past few weeks there has been a significant increase in the furniture reupholstery. 

I haven't analyzed it deeply, it is people who seemingly are not interested in tossing the higher quality existing (not antiques) furniure to buy cheap.

Some of these customers aren't worried about the price, they commit before hearing the price.

Any others seeing this in their part of the business.  Marine work in this area is dead during the winter.  Maybe, it will spark a bit after the holidays?  Antique car restoration is very slow.  Repairs on the newer stuff is still strong, but so much of it is marginal to repair.

That is my sort of business report, how about you?

Doyle

[SHHR]

  Everything is down here. Auto, Marine, Furniture and has been all year. I can't put my finger on one thing, but several things come to mind and most of it deals with the economy still stinks in this region.
I know within the last two months I've seen two others advertising upholstery in town. I don't know these people, their quality, or their volume of business, but I do know one took a semester or two at WyoTech a few years ago and the other is advertising they worked as an apprentice under an recently retired upholsterer in our area.

I've taken on a few more furniture pieces this year and have several shop owners in our downtown (historic area) who recommend me quite a bit. I don't do a lot of antiques though and after a lot of thought I believe the reason is our town is big on the historic district with many homes that open up for tours throug out the year just aren't lived in or only in a portion to keep the rest in museum shape. Not much of the items get used to wear out around here.

Another thing with furniture in this area is we have maybe 4 at the most places to purchase new furniture without driving an hour or more and the majority of that isn't high quality. We get those store's ads every week in the mail with deals like a couch and loveseat in the $400 -$600 range with recliners $299-$399. I've never seen one of these pieces wear the covering out unless it was destroyed by kids or animals because the frames break down long before the fabrics let go, so come the next tax return season everyone's replacing those with more junk or signing their life over to a RTO type store.

Kyle

[Mojo]

I am coming off the busiest summer/fall I have ever had. Things are slowing down right now, probably because of the holidays. This is my time of rest and getting caught up on Honey-Do's. I am expecting all hell to break loose soon as the snowbirds arrive in droves.

I am anticipating being full out from mid January to June. Two of the associations booked me to do 4 seminars at two different rallys ( Feb & March ) and I am starting to get reservations for inspections at a big FMCA rally in February.

Of course I could be wrong about my predictions and I could end up down the street eating dinner every night at Pauls. :)

Does everyone slow down a bit during the holidays ?

Chris

[JDUpholstery]

I have seen a significant increase in work since opening my shop in July, in the course of the last 4 months it seems my work load doubles each month...word of mouth and being the only upholstery shop in my area might play a major role in it, but unlike many areas in the country, our area has not seen the economic depression that others have and people are still spending money on "luxury" goods...I hope it continues this way as I have invested a lot of money in starting this up and so far it is looking like it may pay off (right now all profit has been going to expanding) by next year, I might actually start taking a pay check!

[baileyuph]

Good situation to have JD.  All that and a big shop to grow the business in, plus a skilled craftsman on board to help with the growth.

BTW, what attributes to the affluence in your local economy?  Is it recreation industries, I.E. boating, hunting, and fishing or is it some type of farming, tree, cattle or? 

In my area, there is growth in some activites of upholstering, mainly repairing the cheaply made new stuff right off the line while under warranty.  Gosh it is made cheaply.

Two things have taken a hit here, car restoration and marine interiors and canvas.  Not many have approximately $40,000 to do a professional redo on a car nor are willing to spend several thousand on a boat interior.  But, the miscellaneous work they want and other repair work has taken up all the slack.

I suppose the main theme is; people think a $1000 is a lot of money for a sofa and there is inability or resistance to get a home equity loan to throw a bunch of money in a 1967 GTO convertible, for example.  Just three years ago and more, we had these of cars waiting in line to get restored.  I have one collector customer who has about 20 of those vintage cars (Cutlass Convertibles), all restored and on display, and continues to restore, but that isn't the run of the mill traffic these days in that arena.  This guy, obviously doesn't need a home equity loan.  ;)

You do what you have with what you have, right!  The beat goes on.

Doyle

[Mike]

most of my customer are well off retirees. they have cut back waiting to have things done but they still have it unlike the young construction locals.  I do see a slowdown around christmass chris but I did get a nice canvas job last weekend .  that wil probly be it till after the holidays

[baileyuph]

Mike I haven't done anything to a boat in the last month.  But, been swamped with most other stuff.  Our market is totally unlike your boat market.  Here, it might be real tough to stay real busy in boats year around.  I understand there is one shop in the area that also does rental space for owners.  So, when they store their boats for the winter, he encourages them to get their boats fixed over the winter and have it ready for the next season.  Don't wait until the rush hits.  I think that and the rental money alows him to specialize in marine.  The storage money will help pay the bills.  He owns a couple large buildings and while they are stored there, he will go over and pull seats or whatever needs done.  Nice combo for a market like ours.

Good luck, keep on keeping on!

Doyle

[Mike]

I had a aunt that lived in Clarksdale but I don't think there  much water there are you near any big waterDoyle ?
in NH I was on the largest lake in new England a vacation area here in florida it all about boating  and golf so ive been living off boats for 20 years now

[baileyuph]

Mike,

Water?  Not like Florida for sure.

Just major rivers (Mississippi and Missouri) and significant lakes at a drive from an hour to even 4 hours .

Doyle

[Mike]

Y anywere in florida you at most an hour and a half from the ocean. Me  i can be on the east coast west palm. BEach in 3 hours.