New gig
 

I mentioned in a reply to Masraum a while back that I had a new gig but I didn't elaborate as I didn't want to talk about a short lived situation. About a mile from me at 4000 Cherry Ave. 90807 (if you want to look up the street view) there is an old barracks building from WWII in close proximity to LGB airport. Southwest flies overhead all day long at about 700 feet. So it's not an ideal location for some businesses. As a result, it's a warehouse and staging area for 4 antique dealers and an upholstery shop that has been there for 55 years.

The dealers range from MCM to country shabby chic to Americana. And then some. If a dealer thinks there is money in something, they take a chance. There is a resident painter/refinisher there too.

And now me, the one man repair shop. I might post some pics of some of the more eclectic stuff I get in my little area. Yesterday it was a 50's or 60's soap box derby racer.

Before that was an old oak Hoosier that I had to make some handle catches for as they are nowhere to be found. And before that was a medical office medicine and supply cabinet made from cast steel and glass panels with a patent date of 1893. And a good share of electrical rewiring of fixtures, antique to MCM. Much of that is European and hard to source parts for being 230 volts originally.

And dry goods store display cabinets one after another all needing TLC before they get snapped up by another dealer for their store. A lot of this stuff is coming out of the midwest and Texas as well as almost daily visits to Habitat for Humanity store where they hold back for these well known frequent buyers.

All these guys have a game played close to the vest. Friendly group, sell to each other, but are competitive as you can imagine.

I've done about 25 repairs in 2 months and I work part time there and then put in some time in my shop where I have many more resources. It's not glorious work like some of the 18th Century European pieces I have been doing going on 10 years now.

But as I've said from the beginning, no 2 jobs alike.

Cool...no AI replacement with what you do.

Congratulations and good luck . But knowing your experience and professionalism I have no doubt you will do well .

Do you mean local to you Habitat for Humanity? They probably let them come in on "closed" days as well and assuming they hit the warehouse room before the stuff is put out on the floor.

I have found some beautiful furniture just being lucky.

They let them in before the store opens, for sure, Another thing I that I have noticed and been aware of for a few years, not forever, is that all estate sales have dealer days before the public ever even sees the address. Many times estate sellers notify specific and select dealers because they know of certain types of items some dealers are after. For instance, it's rare to see anything of real value in sound or musical equipment including instruments.

That Martin guitar you spotted has no value beyond being a Martin. And heavy items too. The estate people know what a hold up it will be to have a Steinway for sale because of arranging for moving. So those are taken away a week or 2 beforehand. No one wants to risk the damage either.

More trading and hustling goes on behind the scene than out front in the store. Seeing all this first hand coming off the trucks each day is fun. Some stuff just gets tossed. Each of these dealers have an off site retail store that is well set up and maintained. I work on the dirty end.

But there's always bait. I went to a sale that had 2 older McIntosh amps listed in the ad. They were there too. First guy in the door bought them for $6000. In my mind that was all prearranged for the benefit of the folks in line.

To create a fever.

Thanks for sharing, Milt, and good luck! For someone like you this has to be a positive situation!

Very cool, Zeke! Glad to hear that it's worked out for you and your particular set of skills can continue to be put to good use!