Recover (and rediscover) furniture at Osborne shop

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 18/04/2016 (3818 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

If your furniture or car interior is looking ragged, a visit to West End Upholstery & Drapery may interest you. Opening the door to his unassuming-appearing business reveals a cornucopia of fabric samples and a faint waft of glue.

Brazilian-born Joe Raposo owns and runs the business, which has occupied 683 Osborne St. (the former home of Brickman’s Pharmacy) for 28 years. Before that, Raposo repaired furniture in his West End basement and worked for the former owner of West End Upholstery & Drapery.

South Osborne has given Raposo plenty of business over the years. Reputation, word-of-mouth and longevity have led to most of Raposo’s success.

Now in his 60s, Raposo has a ready smile and some fascinating stories. He and his three-man team work on residential and commercial furniture, plus vehicles.

“I recently recovered a 1952 truck in candy apple red leather for a client from northern Manitoba,” said Raposo, who was six years old when his father and stepmother moved the family from Brazil to Portugal.

Four years later Raposo began learning his trade in Portugal from a master, Fernando Pacheo.  

“We worked on lots of trucks and cars,” Raposo said, remembering the European apprenticeship which included stripping furniture and removing nails.

The Portuguese master also taught his young student how to make sofas and chairs, a challenge Raposo continues to enjoy. I had a look at Joe’s creations in his workshop. The craftsmanship that goes into these products relies on knowledge and experience.

As for fabric, one could spend hours studying the multitude of samples in Raposo’s front room. The lovely linen, cotton, silk, wool and cotton chintz prints Joe uses to create quality new and old furniture come from all over the world.

“Different fabrics are used inside and outside and even just inside a chair,” said Raposo, the careful artisan.

He gives customers an estimate depending largely on the type of fabric they want and asks for a deposit to seal the deal on the work ahead.

You may feel like you’re in Europe when you talk to Joe and observe the multitude of fabrics. I know I felt a little culture shock when I left the shop and stepped back onto the Osborne Street sidewalk.

Extra, unused or out-of-date samples do not go to waste in this Osborne Street business. Students from nearby schools such as Lord Roberts Elementary School and Churchill High School and seniors from homes such as Dakota House in St. Vital create their own magic with the varied and sometimes exotic-looking fabric samples.

Dianne Doney is a community correspondent for Fort Rouge. You can contact her at diannemary@hotmail.com