Over time, pieces of well-loved furniture become “old friends” of the family — a couple’s first dining room table or grandmother’s writing desk. But there’s a decision to make when one of those cherished items finally become well-worn or in disrepair: Is it salvageable or is it beyond repair? John Klumph, owner of Old Friends Furniture Refinishing, offers help in making that decision. “Taking old furniture and restoring it to good working order– not like it’s new from a store, but keeping its originality and character– is rewarding.”
Name: John Klumph
Residence city: Brush Prairie
Business name: Old Friends Furniture Refinishing, 3315 N.E. 112th Ave., Vancouver. 360-604-8565, oldfriendsfinishingandrepair.com
Age: 61
Educational/professional background: I was born in Ohio and my family moved to California when I was 3 years old. In junior high, I took a lot of industrial arts classes like wood shop, metal shop, auto shop. I kind of majored in that sort of thing and always enjoyed working with my hands.
Before I got into this business, I worked in the medical field and ran a business maintaining dialysis equipment. But about 23 years ago, we moved from California to Washington to raise a family. Feeling like it was time for a career change, I had the opportunity to take over the business from the person who had it before, so I give it a try.
Personal/business philosophy: Work hard and do the best job possible. Do what you can to get the job done right or it’s not worth doing.
Most rewarding part of job: Most families have something that has been passed down, a rocking chair, for example, passed down from a grandmother to her grandchildren. A lot of it is sentimental. Taking old furniture and restoring it to good working order — not like it’s new from a store, but keeping its originality and character — is rewarding.
Most challenging part of job: The stripping process isn’t always fun. Some pieces require lots of repair and rebuilding and splicing new parts. We recently took two run-down farm tables and combined parts to make one really good farm table. We do our best to work with what they bring us.
One thing readers might find surprising about your work: People bring in pieces and doubt they can be fixed but ask, “Can this be restored?” It depends on how much they want to spend, but we can. Often we can make pieces that are missing. Our shop manager, Richard McKee, works with customers matching colors and finishes, and will match stains and paints to whatever colors the customer wants to coordinate with pieces they have at home. We make a lot of our own stains. We also paint new, unfinished furniture, cabinet doors, and drawers and even interior and exterior doors.
Best feature of my Clark County community: People are nice here.
What would make your community a better place: Somehow better traffic flow. I’m used to fewer stoplights.
Your favorite travel destination: Hawaii and Australia are nice. I like going to Arizona to play golf.
Favorite restaurant/pub/coffee shop/store: Old Town Burgers and Breakfast in Battle Ground.
Hobbies: Golf and water skiing.
Most enjoyable movie in past 12 months: “Gravity” with Sandra Bullock.
Something you’d like to do this year/within five years: Go back to Hawaii. I’d like to go to Washington, D.C., to see the Smithsonian.
One word to describe yourself: Easygoing.
Person you’d most like to meet: Ted Cruz.
WORKING IN CLARK COUNTY
Working in Clark County, a brief profile of interesting Clark County business owners or a worker in the public, private, or nonprofit sector. Send ideas to Kay Richardson:
kay.richardson@columbian.com; fax 360-735-4598; phone 360-735-4550.
