Joe Bower of Creative Customs (Scottsville, KY)
What does being an upholsterer mean to you?
Being an upholsterer means the ability to keep the talent going.
How did you get started in upholstery?
I went to a lot of car shows when I was younger. I wanted to win some of them so I knew I had to do something a bit different, to stand out, and started working on the upholstery myself.
What types of upholstery do you do?
Cars and boats!
How long have you been upholstering?
23 years
What is your biggest consumer demand?
We work on boats in the winter and hot rods in the summer.
What is your favorite upholstery project you've done?
I did one project with buttons and crushed velvet – that’s probably my favorite.
What is the strangest item you've found in a restoration?
Probably the way other upholsterers repair things.
Have you noticed any up and coming trends?
Different materials that customers are wanting to use.
What changes would benefit the upholstery industry?
More people wanting to work in an upholstery shop!
Have you ever been featured on television, online, or in another publication?
Not that I know of!
Some answers have been edited for clarity.
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