My name is Brian Webster and I have had a lifelong entrepreneurial relationship with wood in many different impassioned pursuits. My early years coming out of High School had me working in the Residential Construction trade toting lumber and learning to swing a hammer and wield a saw framing Houses. My Experience grew through Trim Carpentry, Siding and my first entrepreneurial pursuit–building Decks, Porches and Fences. The seasonality of “Outdoor Living Improvements” as I labeled them became a challenge and my second winter I began to steer more toward Commercial and Residential Remodeling. Business success through a few large partnered projects drew me foolishly away from Business School believing I had all the cranial fortitude I needed to succeed in a skilled Contractor trade. Tough years in the cyclical construction economy of the late 80’s and mismanaged business finances forced me to take a five year hiatus from woodworking to serve my country full time in the US Marine Corps, and allowed me time to evaluate my most rewarding skill sets and plan for my next entrepreneurial venture into Business as a ‘Furniture Medic’ Franchise owner. I believed the structured business guidance would fill the void in my educational development, and allow me to better utilize my propensity for Detail and Finishing work.
This venture grew from a part time operation while in the Corps, to a full time business back home in Marietta, Georgia following my release from Active Duty. My Business prospered and grew for the next five years and allowed me to grow beyond my sole proprietor limitations with 7 employees and a full service Restoration, Repair, Refinishing business. 9/11 rocked the economy in 2001 and upset the precarious balance of my overhead-heavy operations and brought about a rather abrupt demise to my Franchise commitment at the timely end of my Contractual obligation with Furniture Medic. An icon in the Atlanta Furniture Restoration market, Mr Alan Noel, just so happened to be looking for an individual to come in and work for him managing the productive work flow of his operation and so began the next phase of my rewarding development.
My ongoing Independent Contractual relationship with Mr Noel lives on today in a Cooperative we formed in 2009 as A.Ross Noel and Associates. These 12 years have been very rewarding, allowing me to hone my skills and work almost uninterruptedly in the market segment I love–Antiques and Heirlooms. Finally, in the final Quarter of 2013, I made the choice to emerge from under the guiding wing of Mr Noel, feeling the call once again to follow my dreams in a shop of my own closer to home in Woodstock, Georgia. In December of 2013, I took occupancy of a lease space where I set about making this a reality once again. Focusing on the Restoration, Repair, and Refinishing work I love was the focus of the new facility and I looked to expand into Eco-Friendly Commercial and Residential Wood Finishing for volume and profitability.
6 months in, Mr Noel reached out with news he would like me to return and buy him out allowing him to work toward retirement in the next few years. At the end of my new lease, I would return to Chamblee and set about making the 9000 sq. ft space my own with my ultimate goal being to develop the Southern Restorations CoOp., established in 2017.
Stories and traditions attached to many of the pieces I get to work on are the driving force behind the focus on the work I love. I am honored by the opportunity I am given each day to make a difference in the life of such cherished treasures. People bring me stories and remembrances of their family heirlooms, and I work to fill in the gaps with any information about the history of each piece that I can uncover in the restoration or repair process. Studying the materials and craftsmanship of the pieces can often tell me a lot about where the piece came from or potentially who could be credited with making it. Each piece tells a story and I am eager to listen and share anything I may uncover in the preservation of your Family treasures.