THE LITTLE SHOP THAT COULD
Business of the month: The Shabby Attic honored by borough council ‘Mission founded on second chances’: Owner’s efforts applauded
LANSDALE >> The July winner of Lansdale’s Business of the Month award is one that can bring new life to anything old, while providing great deals and a unique look to Lansdale and the surrounding area.
The Shabby Attic and owner Karin Wolfle were recognized at a recent council meeting by councilman BJ Breish, who said the owner and business reflect their town in many ways.
“She also had a hunch that Lansdale just might need her, and that she could help bring art and creativity to the Lansdale community,” said Breish.
“Not only was she right, and not only did she deliver that vision to Lansdale, she thrived, despite the odds. And thus begins a mission found on second chances, and a through and through Lansdale story,” he said.
Located for the past five years at 810 W. Main St., The Shabby Attic specializes in the sale and restoration of furniture, from chairs, cabinets, dressers, and tables, along with painting and design makeovers.
“A bad paint job doesn’t make a piece of furniture any less functional, or desirable. You probably don’t need to spend $10,000 on that brand new kitchen, and why discard that old TV entertainment center, when you can transform it?” Breish said.
“Before you buy new, you
must realize that new doesn’t always mean better, especially when it comes to furniture. Cancel that trip to Ikea, and stop by The Shabby Attic and talk to Karin,” he said.
Wolfle and her team offer custom painting, kitchen makeovers, furniture reconstruction, and can even paint couches, Breish said, creating a fresh look for any old piece of furniture you’d like to update, or that others have parted with and are on display in their showroom.
“Just walking around their showroom will likely have your head spinning with new ideas. This place puts your Pinterest ideas to shame,” Breish said.
The Shabby Attic has over 18,000 worldwide followers on thier Facebook page, which Breish estimated as one of the largest in town, if not the county, and is open to locals six days a week.
“She still hears daily from walk-in patrons that they never realize the depth of the services The Shabby Attic provides, and that there really is something there for everyone,” he said.
“If you want to save money, find creative inspiration, recycle a re-purposed item you own versus filling a landfill, or simply want some suggestions on how you might be able to breathe new life into the furniture you own, shop The Shabby Attic. Your second chance is waiting for you,” Breish said.
Wolfle thanked council and Breish for the award and for their support, and said she had started to look elsewhere about five years ago when her business grew big enough to relocate.
“I started looking at other towns, and I felt like, ‘No, Lansdale needs this,’” she said.
She added that The Shabby Attic and their employees try to help sponsor and support events around town whenever possible, and residents may also see a different side of the business every so often.
“You probably have seen me in your alleys, picking up stuff that has been discarded. And you probably have seen my truck coming through Main Street, with God only knows how much furniture sticking out — but it’s because we love what we do,” she said.
Building the business over the past two decades has been a slow climb, “or in our case, the snail’s crawl,” Wolfle said, and has faced several obstacles that could have been the ideal time to close, like the financial downturn of 2008-09 or a recent health scare.
“With each obstacle I have encountered, I learned something new about how important it was to keep afloat, how to work smarter, not just harder, although the hard work never stops,” Wolfle said.
As she and Breish spoke, the two showed slides of various restored and repainted pieces of furniture, on display in the store for sale or recently fixed up for customers.
“Me and my amazing ladies of The Shabby Attic love what we do. There is no greater joy than a client who had an idea for doing a piece of furniture, and when they see it in person for the first time, transformed, they are speechless, sometimes even brought to tears,” she said.
“It’s my goal to bring people from far and wide, to Lansdale’s sidewalks, to see what fun and creative things we do, as the little shop that could — and dares to keep going.”
The Shabby Attic is located at 810 W. Main St. in Lansdale, is open from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. weekdays and from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturdays, and can be reached at (215) 699-3553 or at “The Shabby Attic” on Facebook.