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| After
living on my own and then with my husband in six different apartments
and houses, I finally have some fairly decent furniture. For many years,
we lived with a cheap kitchen table from a discount store with four mismatched
chairs in various stages of broken—from missing rungs across the
ladder-back to loose seat covers. You sat at your own risk. That “set” has
been replaced—by a set from another discount store. At least it
all matches, and it is fairly safe. But after spending hours scouring
furniture stores across town for the perfect piece and finding nothing
to be excited about, I resorted to the cheapest “just OK” option. I know I am not alone. You have a picture in your mind of the piece you are searching for, one that will not only fit in the space but will complement your house, your other furnishings, and your lifestyle. You look and look, but it is nowhere to be found. In the end, you either live without it or live with something less than what you imagined. One solution many of us do not think to consider is custom furniture. Dan and Dennis Zongker, along with their staff of artisans, create beautiful custom furniture right here in Omaha. Dan tells me that about 30% to 40% of their business is for residential customers, with the remainder going to commercial and government clients. I recently had the opportunity to visit their workshop at 1717 S. Third St. and was treated to a tour of the facility. Zongkers is located in the Old Metz Brewery, which lends a sense of history to the space. They do not have a showroom, as every piece they create is one-of-a-kind, but Dan says clients do occasionally visit to pick out stains or finishes and to see their pieces in progress. Over time as their business has expanded and grown, they have also expanded their workspace, which now spans the entire first floor of the old brewery. “We are not a box shop,” Dan states, meaning that each piece is created by just one artisan from beginning to end. A typical box shop, on the other hand, is more of a production line with each step of the piece being worked on by a different individual. Instead, once the piece is complete, a Zongkers artisan signs his work and affixes a brass plate to it identifying the piece and the date of completion. These details, along with the superior craftsmanship that goes into their work, make each item something that can be handed down from generation to generation, Dan states. Although the workshop is in a historic building, Zongkers is a controlled-climate space. This is important, Dan points out, because if the materials are exposed to extreme heat or cold they can shrink and expand, causing the finished product to be warped or cracked. And there aren’t a lot of raw materials on hand. Because every piece is so individualized, materials are ordered as needed. One craftsman was working on some desks for a new business while I was there. He was using recycled wood that the client had provided. Not many pieces are made with a client’s own materials, but it is certainly something that can be discussed. In their business office, a few examples of Dennis Zongker’s work are on display. Carving and detailed marquetry are two aspects of Dennis’s signature pieces. When you walk through their shop, it seems like it has been there forever since their work has a timeless quality and attention to detail that is rare to find in new pieces. Dan and Dennis are actually self-taught from trial and error as well as from reference books and other materials. The brothers started their business in 1989, working out of their basements. They had been employed by a commercial cabinetry company and decided to move into custom work on their own. In March of 1991, they moved into the Metz building, and they have been expanding their company ever since. Dan says the prices for their pieces are generally similar to what someone might pay for a nicer-quality piece from any home furnishing store. The difference of course, is that the Zongkers client can truly customize their furniture from the type of wood to the stain, size, and shape. They do not do upholstery, but they can direct clients to businesses that do. Common residential work includes custom kitchens and cabinetry, dining tables, occasional tables, bedroom sets, entertainment centers and bookcases, and electric-lift television units. They take pride in working with client requests: they once even made a wine rack for a client made out of a coffin. When a prospective client contacts Zongkers, the project is discussed in detail. Dan will usually go to the customer’s residence and review with them all of the particulars of what they are looking for. Some clients have very specific ideas, from the type of material to the size and detail, while others begin with only a general piece in mind. The design can be customized to blend with existing furnishings or to stand alone as a true piece of art. By conversing with the client and visiting the space where the furniture will be located, Dan gathers all of the information needed to create a design and proposal. The proposal includes isometric drawings, as well as a breakdown of materials and hours to complete the piece and the final cost. Once the client approves the proposal, a 50% deposit is due and work begins. Final payment is due at completion of the project. Zongkers will arrange delivery and installation as needed. Each piece has a full warranty for five years from completion, although Dan says they rarely see pieces return to their shop. I asked Dan and Dennis if it is difficult to work so closely and be brothers. They say that they enjoy working together. Because their talents and work for the business are somewhat separate, each has an appreciation and respect for the other. “There is no competing,” Dan says. It appears to be working beautifully. Now, about that kitchen table… For more information, contact Zongkers at 344-7784 or visit their Web site at www.zongkers.com. |
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