If It's Broke, Fix It
The vacuum cleaner’s lost its suction, your watch has stopped keeping time, you inadvertently snapped your nine iron over your knee, there’s a hole in your shoe, and you just ripped your designer jeans. Fear not! We know the pros who can restore these items and more. And they’re just a phone call away.
Illustrations by Anders Wenngren
Photographs by Ryan Kurtz
Dolls
Sheila Lübbers, owner of Little Flower Doll Hospital, was a little surprised when the Snoop Dogg doll came in. “I didn’t even know they had dolls like that,” she says, “but the owner really cared about him.” So Lübbers fixed him up just like she would someone else’s porcelain family heirloom. “You could make a comedy out of it, but we can’t ever be disrespectful,” she says. “To the customer, it’s not just a doll, it’s an extension of their feelings.” And it’s turned into a bustling business for Lübbers, who has overseen her Covington hospital for eight years. She can reconstruct missing limbs, repair garments, and make wigs, and tries to get dolls back to their owners in two weeks if she can, especially if a child is waiting. “They need the doll back,” she says. • Amanda Boyd Walters
Little Flower Doll Hospital, 428 Madison Ave., Covington, (859) 261-6444
Upholstery
When Doug Aulick was an apprentice at the sorely missed Cincinnati department store H.S. Pogue Co., learning the craft of upholstery, he often heard customers complain. Not about his work, but about the hassle of hiring another craftsman if their piece’s wooden arms or legs needed refinishing or the frame needed fixing. “I knew if I ever had my own business, I’d do it all,” he says. And since 1992, when he opened Unique Furniture Enterprises, he has. Today, the shop has seven employees who reupholster, strip, refinish, and repair furniture. Aulick is afraid his profession, like those homegrown department stores, is facing extinction. “It’s hard to find a young person who wants to learn the trade, and the majority don’t appreciate quality furniture.” For now, Aulick has all the work he can handle, helping boomers preserve family heirlooms. And by “heirlooms” we do not mean bean bag chairs. • Kathleen Doane
Unique Furniture Enterprises, 8711 Reading Rd., Suite E3, (513) 821-7967
Also try…Lines Circles & Angles Custom Upholstery & Repair, 4554 Kugler Mill Rd., Rossmoyne, (513) 984-1074
Jewelry
Henry Schulz opened Schulz & Sons Diamond Jewelers on Madison Avenue in Covington in 1953. Today, Henry’s grandson Matt is behind the counter, but they’re still repairing broken baubles, from rings and brooches to pearl necklaces. “A customer brought in a 15-inch strand of pearls he’d gotten in WWII and brought back for his wife,” Schulz says. They were too short, so Schulz suggested adding three inches of pearls. “We even replaced the catch so it would match her other yellow gold jewelry.” That kind of fix gets Schulz excited. “There’s so much we can do,” he says. Really? Just ask him about magnetic clasps. Trust us. Amanda Boyd Walters
Schulz & Sons Diamond Jewelers, 2202 Dixie Hwy., Ft. Mitchell, (859) 331-2888
Handle With Care: Fur Coats
Harvey Camins has one piece of advice when it comes to repairing that busted seam in the armpit of your mink coat: Don’t try to fix it yourself. “Ninety-nine percent of the time, you’re going to screw it up,” he says. The most common error: Sewing a tear from the fur side, rather than the skin side. “Yes, you have to remove the lining first,” an exasperated Camins says. He’s had to undo all sorts of botched repairs in his 33 years at Fettner-Friedman Furs (the business has been around for 88), including linings held together by duct tape. The very worst? “Glue,” he says. “Don’t get me started!” No particular kind of fur is more difficult to repair than any other. “If it’s a hole, you just have to match color and fur length,” he says. The skin that the fur is attached to, on the other hand, can be a problem if it is thin or dried out. “I think the hardest to work with is muskrat,” Camins says. “It starts peeling off in layers when you try to sew it.” Camins repairs a lot of fur coats passed on from one generation to the next. “Properly taken care of, a fur coat will always outlive you,” he says. • Kathleen Doane
Fettner-Friedman Furs, 113 W. Fourth St., downtown, (513) 241-1352
Also try…Kotsovos Furs & Fine Apparel, 9501 Montgomery Rd., Montgomery, (513) 791-3877
Vacuums
Nothing sucks like a broken Electrolux. Fortunately, many vacuum repairs are pretty straightforward. Jeff Whitaker, owner of A-1 Vacuum Cleaners, says that the most common problems are “broken belts, clogged sweepers, and vacuums that have lost suction”—things that don’t cost an arm and a leg. Like most small appliances, a vacuum’s longevity is tied to the life of its motor, which can be costly to fix. Whitaker can fix motors, but often he doesn’t get the chance. “Motor problems,” he says, “usually mean it’s time to get rid of the vacuum.” • Linda Vaccariello
A-1 Vacuum Cleaners, 5232 Montgomery Rd., Norwood, (513) 731-5495
Also try…Kirkwood’s Sweeper Shop, www.kirkwoodsweeper.com
Clothing
Is that $200 pair of skinny jeans so skinny that you’ve torn the seam? Enter Cyndy Butz. “I do a lot of that,” says Butz, who did alterations from her home before setting up shop in Oakley last March. “People pay a lot for their jeans now and they want them to last as long as possible.” With the exception of upholstery, if it needs hemming or stitching, Butz is your seamstress. For all of you out there wearing ill-fitting clothing, she’s got some sage advice. “If it’s not comfortable, you’re not going to wear it,” she says. “It usually doesn’t take very much alteration to fix that.” • Aiesha D. Little
Cyndy’s Alterations, 2880 Wasson Rd., Oakley, (513) 351-1479, www.cyndys-alterations.com
Also try…Nobby Custom Tailors, 14 W. Seventh St., downtown, (513) 621-2613
Handle With Care: Fine Art
Gram and Gramps have gone off to that big Starbucks in the Sky, and you’ve inherited an oil painting. It’s a common scenario. “We had a group of artists here who were prolific a hundred years ago,” says Michael Ruzga of Fine Arts Conservation, Inc., who restores paintings in his Amberley Village studio. And when a painting’s been around that long, chances are it needs some TLC. Ruzga says the primary problems are discolored varnish and paint that has lifted or pulled away from the canvas. Plus: “There’s usually a coating of grime that has to be removed first,” he says. Especially if the old folks had a nicotine habit. When it comes to art’s enemies, “cigarette smoke is at the top of the list,” Ruzga says. Highly skilled art conservators clean paintings, remove older varnish, and replace it with modern synthetic coatings that age more slowly. It’s tricky work that doesn’t come cheap; the best course is to take care of the picture in the first place. That means hanging a painting out of direct natural light, in a spot where the temperature doesn’t fluctuate. And if you want to enjoy your art for a long, long time, don’t smoke. • Linda Vaccariello
Fine Arts Conservation, Inc. Call for appointment: (513) 791-6305
Also try…Collectors Art Group, 225 E. Sixth St., (513) 587-0220
What About My TV?
Can that fancy new flat screen/plasma/HD TV you got for Christmas be repaired? We asked around, and found that, well, it depends. Bob Usleaman of Bigner TV Electronic Service told us that part of the problem with digital sets is that it’s hard to troubleshoot them. “You could get an indication that the problem’s coming from one board when it’s really another,” he says. And be careful when you buy. Usleaman has his eye on an RCA rear-projection set. “RCAs are easy to service,” he says. We’ll take his word for it.
Bigner TV Electronic Service, 2076 Harrison Ave., Fairmount, (513) 481-6400
Lawn Mowers
You took the dog inside before cutting the grass, but forgot his chain? We know. We’ve been there. “People run over everything. You’d be amazed,” says Dennis Klei, owner of Klei Mower, Inc. Klei’s grandfather and father opened the lawn mower sales and repair shop in 1960 and he’s been here since 1979. “When people buy a machine from a chain, they aren’t guaranteed service and parts,” explains Klei. He and his staff often advise customers on how to fix something themselves, but if you don’t like getting your hands dirty, leave it to the pros. “We work on what we sold first, taking care of the customers who have made an investment with us,” says Klei. Katherine L. Sontag
Klei Mower, Inc., 10345 Colerain Ave., Bevis, (513) 385-8525, www.kleimower.com
Cameras
Turns out that one of the biggest repair issues with non-digital cameras is the foam. “Most of the SLRs [single lens reflex cameras] have foam seals that keep light out of the camera,” says Tim King, owner of Camtron Cameras & Repair in Oakley. “They deteriorate and become gooey.” Which is OK, because King can re-foam that baby for you. With a large inventory of older cameras and camera parts, King can fix just about any problem you might have with your old 35 millimeter point-and-shoots (not to mention medium format and view cameras). Just don’t bring him your 19th-century accordion camera with the gunpowder flash. “There was a time when we did repair antiques,” King says, “but if anything happens on my workbench, you can’t replace the parts.” We shudder to think. • Brent Donaldson
Camtron Cameras & Repair, 3151 Madison Rd., Oakley, (513) 871-7908, www.camtron.com
Also try…Paul J. Heiselmann Camera Repair, 6519 Iris Ave., Kennedy Heights, (513) 531-5678
Bicycles
About two years ago, I took two older mountain bikes to Reser Bicycle Outfitters in Newport, hoping to get some advice as to which one was worth repairing. Instead, 28-year-old Jason Reser looked the two bikes over and told me he could fashion a hybrid using the best parts from the two. In other words, a Frankenbike. Brilliant! “I’ve worked at bike shops since I was 14,” he says. It shows. Of course, Reser sells bikes too—high-end touring, racing, and mountain bikes—but he’ll take on any repair. He’s also a major advocate for cyclists in Northern Kentucky, petitioning Covington, Cincinnati, Newport, and Bellevue politicians for trails and bike racks. For those of you who love your bicycle like a child, Reser may be the best bike doctor in town. • Brent Donaldson
Reser Bicycle Outfitters, 735 Monmouth St., Newport, (859) 261-6187, www.reserbicycle.com
Also try…Montgomery Cyclery & Fitness, multiple locations, www.montgomerycyclery.com
Handle With Care: Band Equipment
There’s nothing more insufferable than a disgruntled guitarist. When the diagnosis is a blown amp or garbled guitar (rather than a bloated ego), there is a doctor in College Hill who can make things better: Dr. Music. Amid a chrome forest of used equipment for sale—speaker cabinets, amps, guitars, and keyboards—Bill O’Neil warily eyes his main repair tool, a radar-like device called an oscilloscope. A tiny green blip appears onscreen as he tweaks an amplifier. “With this device, you can see what you would normally hear. If there’s something wrong with an amp, and I know I have my guitar plugged in but there’s nothing coming out, with my oscilloscope I can see where I’m losing my signal.” Dr. Music is one of the few authorized service centers in town, meaning that if your 16-year-old has already blown that brand-new Peavey amp you bought for Christmas, O’Neil fixes it for free and receives his payment from the manufacturer. Just don’t bring him drums. “I stay away from all drums,” he says. “You’ve gotta draw the line somewhere.” Brent Donaldson
Dr. Music, 6272 Savannah Ave., College Hill, (513) 542-6111
Also try…Mike’s Music, 2615 Vine St., Corryville, (513) 281-4900
Fix It or Forget It?
According to Consumer Reports, if repairs cost more than half the price of a new model, or you can replace it for less than $150, forget it. Is your appliance nearing the end of its useful life? Follow these guidelines: digital cameras and 32-inch picture tube TVs can last four years; camcorders, 36-inch picture tube TVs, computers, and gas push mowers, five; dishwashers, over-the-range microwaves, top-freezer refrigerators, and upright vacuums, six; clothes dryers, gas self-propelled mowers, and top-load washers, seven; and bottom-freezer/side-by-side refrigerators, canister vacuums, electric or gas ranges, electric wall ovens, and front-load washers, eight.
Golf Clubs
Don’t be embarrassed if you wrapped your TaylorMade driver around a tree. After 33 years of repairing golf clubs, nothing surprises Steve Etter of Etter’s Custom Golf. “Probably 90 percent of the clubs with broken shafts we get happened in a fit of rage,” he says. “It wouldn’t normally break on its own.” The shop has more than 1,000 shafts, which Etter can custom fit to you. He’s the go-to guy for pros at the city’s most prominent courses, including such tony country clubs as Hyde Park, Coldstream, and Cincinnati. Practice your swing or putting on his driving range and two miniature golf courses and maybe next time you won’t break your club. Katherine L. Sontag
Etter’s Custom Golf, 9941 Reading Rd., Evendale, (513) 563-8661
Eyeglasses
With more than 20 years in the optician business, Dale Thompson, owner of Precise Eyeglass Frame Repair Co., has seen it all. Glasses chewed up by dogs, sat on by the clumsy, run over by cars. “I once had a guy break his glasses twice in one day,” he says. And no one wants to spend the money to get a brand new pair. For $20 and 30 minutes of your time, he’ll have your glasses looking good as new. Break the spring hinge on those vintage cat eye frames your grandmother gave you? Don’t worry. Thompson handles antique glasses, too. But if they still smell like dog saliva when he’s done, well, that’s your problem.Aiesha D. Little
Precise Eyeglass Frame Repair Co., 230 Northland Blvd., Suite #220 Springdale, (513) 771-0099, www.home.fuse.net/precise
Leather Goods
Golf bags, purses, catcher’s mitts, and lovers: When you finally find The One, never let go. That’s the reason leather accessories vie for shelf space with loafers at Mt. Lookout Shoe Repair. Even in our disposable society, we expect these things to last. Owner Mike Burns can replace a suitcase zipper, re-attach purse straps, or re-stitch a weary wallet. As with any repair, you have to decide if the item is worth the effort; a new zipper won’t turn a Canal Street knock-off into a Kate Spade. “We can try to fix just about anything,” Burns says. But sometimes the damage is fatal. Like when the new puppy cuts his teeth on your brand spankin’ new Louis Vuitton handbag. “We see a lot of that,” he says. • Linda Vaccariello
Mt. Lookout Shoe Repair, 3512 Linwood Ave, Mt. Lookout, (513) 871-8160
Handle With Care: Foreign Cars
When your car is in the shop for service—whether it’s for a routine oil change or a major tune-up—it’s a pain. “Every day we depend on our car for transportation and it’s a hassle when we don’t have it. We try to eliminate the hassle,” says Larry Daniels, owner of Larry Daniels Auto Center. For the past 30 years, he and his staff of mechanics have serviced Cincinnati’s fine European vehicles—and since 2003, its Japanese cars, too. Daniels learned the craft in his father’s garage. “I’m a car person,” he says. “The first car I ever worked on was a 1976 Mercedes 280C coupe and I fell in love with fine European cars.” If you can’t wait for your car in the comfortable lounge, Daniels provides loaner cars or will personally shuttle you to and from the shop in the company’s Mercedes-Benz ML-320. Though Daniels is “semi-retired” he still spends Tuesday and Wednesday mornings in the office calling everyone who came into the shop the week before. The next time that orange “check engine” light illuminates your Range Rover’s dashboard, maybe it won’t feel like such a hassle. Katherine L. Sontag
Larry Daniels Auto Center, 4003 Plainville Rd., Madison Place, (513) 271-1746
Also try…Jim’s Auto Clinic, 5481 North Bend Rd. Monfort Heights, (513) 662-6696
My Toaster Is Toast!
I ask repairman Steve Allen if he fixes toasters. He laughs out loud. Does he know anyone who does? He laughs louder. “Forty years ago we did,” he says. But now, no one does. Why? Most small appliances are imported and manufacturers don’t stock parts. Plus, the repair cost is comparable to buying something new (“You’d tell a customer it’ll be $18 to fix, and they’d say, ‘Oh, never mind; I’ll get a new one.’”) And consumers, particularly young people, have a very “disposable” mindset: If it breaks, it’s an excuse to get a new model.
Allen’s Appliance Parts & Service, 109 Main St., Milford, (513) 831-3725
Shoes
When it comes to busted shoes, Casablanca Vintage can save your soles. Tim Willig has seen all types of footwear disasters since he began fixing shoes at the vintage clothing shop four years ago. “Usually, someone will bring in a shoe and it has holes all the way through it,” says Willig, who began his handiwork at Casablanca when owner George DeLorenzo bought a shoe repair business in 2003. No matter. He can resole those work boots you wore out last winter or re-heel your favorite pair of Italian leather pumps. He just has one rule: “Don’t Super Glue your shoes. If you bring them to me that way, I might get mad at you.” Understood. • Aiesha D. Little
Casablanca Vintage, 3944 Spring Grove Ave., Northside (513) 541-6999
Watches
Charlie Cleves, like his father Edgar Cleves Jr., is a watchmaker. Not that he actually makes watches, mind you; he repairs them. “It’s just a holdover courtesy title,” Cleves explains. He specializes in the timepieces made by Rolex, Omega, and Patek Philippe, which can each cost as much as a Porsche. Joseph Lonnemann, who taught Edgar the trade, died in 1996 at age 97, but he would be astounded at the tools used to fix today’s watches. There’s a $30,000 laser that can eliminate chips, dents, and cracks; a $7,500 chronoscope that calibrates the number of seconds a watch is gaining or losing each day, and a sealed polishing room that keeps dust out of the rest of the shop. “Many of today’s watches are made to throw away when they no longer work,” Cleves says. “But if you’re willing to pay, we’ll try to fix it.” • Kathleen Doane
Cleves and Lonnemann, 319 Fairfield Ave., Bellevue, (859) 261-3636
Also try…J.L. Jewelers, 9 W. Sharon Rd., Glendale, (513) 771-4747; 6600 B Dixie Hwy, Fairfield, (513) 942-9271
Ceramic Figurines
It happens. One minute you’re dusting the knick-knack shelf; the next, your favorite Hummel is in pieces. The “Goose Girl”? Ruined?! It’s enough to make a grown man lay down his knitting and weep bitter tears. Fortunately, ceramic figurines are on the long list of things the folks at Wiebold Studio repair—along with Staffordshire china, Rookwood vases, and Crown Derby tea sets. They’ll glue the broken bits, fill chips, and recreate the parts that have gone missing, then paint and re-glaze the mend. You say you haven’t got the dough to repair it properly? Don’t damage it further with the wrong adhesive. “Call or bring it in,” says Wiebold business manager Jennifer Burt. “We’ll tell you how to put it back together with Elmer’s.” • Linda Vaccariello
Wiebold Studio, Inc., 413 Terrace Place, Terrace Park, (513) 831-2541, www.wiebold.com
Handle With Care: Oriental Rugs
About seven years ago, Bob Kaminsky was asked to reweave a portion of an $80,000 Iranian rug made in the 1880s. Over the years, water had seeped into the rug from the potted plant that sat on top of it and caused dry rot. The price tag for the fix? $6,000. “There really isn’t a whole lot of call for that,” says Kaminsky, owner of Cincinnati Rug Artisans. The most common repairs involve naughty pets using rugs as chew toys, fringe unraveling after being sucked up in the vacuum cleaner, and knots that simply come undone. With a large inventory of antique and old rug pieces that he uses for patch jobs, Kaminsky can more often than not fix the problem. He managed Markarian Oriental Rugs in Hyde Park for 10 years until the store closed last January. “After we shut the doors, we still had a lot of calls for cleaning and repairing rugs,” he says. That’s when he decided to go into business for himself. But his main fix-it philosophy is to help customers take care of their rugs before they need his services. Something as simple as vacuuming the underside of your rugs on a hard surface every six months helps keep dirt from piling up and breaking down a rug’s fibers. “It does wonders,” he says. • Aiesha D. Little
Cincinnati Rug Artisans, 6926 1/2 Montgomery Rd., Silverton, (513) 791-5401, www.cincinnatirugartisans.com
Originally published in the February 2008 issue.