Working in Clark County: Dave Stone, owner, New Creations Mobile Restoration

Columbian reader Sharon Lueck suggested New Creations Mobile Restoration to “Working,” saying, “I’ve been such a fan of theirs because I find what they do to be next door to magic. Things you would think were one-way thrashed are fixed to where you can’t even see where the damage was.”

The magic she refers to is the transformative work done by business owner Dave Stone and his technicians on both hard and soft surfaces such as faded, flattened soft leather and vinyl seating, cat-clawed upholstery, scraped auto interiors, or scratched floors and counters. Items that may have been set on the curb or placed on Craigslist are –presto! — made new, damage gone. Stone says it’s gratifying to work on something like a worn leather couch by recoloring, restuffing and restoring it into pristine condition.

“The customers’ expressions when they see the new color, they’re so ecstatic! It’s a huge payoff.”

Name: Dave Stone.

Business: New Creations Mobile Restoration.

New Creations has a home office and all jobs are performed on site at the customer’s location.

360-882-7529, www.newcreationsusa.com

Residence neighborhood: Salmon Creek.

Age: 47.

Professional background: Our family is Canadian, and we moved here in 2000 from Vancouver, Canada. I grew up next to a car lot in Port Coquitlam, B.C., and at 15 years old, I got a job there as a lot attendant. I spent time after school and on weekends washing cars and helping prep sold units for delivery. I even skipped school one day during a snowfall to shovel snow and clear cars for the carlot for the extra money. After high school I went to the University of B.C. with the intent of earning a bachelor’s degree in chemistry. In my second year I met my wife, Kelly, and within a short time became engaged.

Just before Christmas 1990, an opportunity came up for me to join my friend Larry’s young company, New Creations. It was a mobile upholstery repair business servicing local car dealerships including the one where I had worked as a teen. Strangely enough, he had started New Creations right here in Portland while he was attending college and brought the business back to Vancouver, B.C. This seemed like the perfect opportunity for me to be involved in a business where I could grow and make a good living. Kelly and I left university that year to get married and pursue our dreams together.

After franchising in Vancouver/Richmond B.C. and building up a good business there, we decided to move our family to Vancouver, Wash., to expand our business into the U.S. So we packed up our stuff and two young sons and headed south across the border on this great adventure in June 2000.

How — and when — you got started in your business: As a kid, I would take things apart to see how they worked and that has led to a great ability to troubleshoot and fix almost anything. New Creations has sourced and pioneered so many amazing products which make all of our revolutionary repair processes possible. It is extremely rewarding to see the reactions of customers when we are able to execute an invisible repair for them, but I think most of the time I do the repairs for me–because I like it. I enjoy restoring something which was broken or cosmetically damaged back to proper function and beauty.

Personal/business philosophy: Live every day intentionally and purposefully. Show respect and love to everyone whether it is deserved or not.

Most rewarding part of job: Training and supporting new techs to do what we do.

Most challenging part of job: Letting the communities we serve know what we are able to professionally repair and restore. Customers tell us all the time, “If we knew you were around a year ago, we never would have gotten rid of our leather couch; we would have had you restuff and refinish it.”

Something surprising about your work: We are a fully mobile service. People always are amazed that we can repair your car interior or home furnishings right on the spot in one day. This is an extremely important aspect of our work when we are working on hardwood floors, counter tops or other surfaces in the customer’s home.

Best feature of my Clark County community: Having the proximity to Portland and all it has to offer without being right in the middle of it all the time.

What would make your community a better place? Having better solutions to help the homeless find purpose and joy.

What is your favorite travel destination and type: We explored many of the western states with our travel trailer when our boys were young. We plan to take an extensive European vacation within a couple years and are planning it already.

Favorite restaurant/pub/coffee shop/store: We love Chuck’s Produce. Everything there is great! Mill Creek Pub is also a favorite of ours. The mac ‘n’ cheese is amazing! Kelly represents New Creations at a networking meeting there once a week and we have also done several repairs for them on their booths.

Hobbies: I’m a soccer fanatic. Timbers and Liverpool FC are my teams. I’m creative by nature so I’m always open to trying something new. I’ve made a bench from an oak tree, painted a few pictures, and done some wood burning. I am constantly coming up with inventions to help solve problems. I am just waiting for the perfect idea to present on “Shark Tank!”

Most enjoyable thing you’ve done in past 12 months: I hiked Mount St. Helens in June and that was extraordinary! Glissading down the mountain after climbing to the peak was fast, dangerous, and exhilarating!

Best way to spend a spare 10 minutes: Call and talk to a good friend who crosses my mind.

One word to describe yourself: Problem-solver.

Person you’d most like to meet: Jurgen Klopp, manager of Liverpool FC.