What started out as wanting to find one to have in my kitchen, has turned into a passion and a successful small business.
I bought a phone on eBay and guess what? It didn’t work when it arrived. Imagine that!! Also, it smelled like cigarettes and mold. I did not have a clue or where to even start in order to make it work. After much time and money spent to finally hear a dial tone and make a call, I was hooked and started on a new hobby.
I purchased a few more, one at a time over the next several months. I was happily breaking them down, cleaning and repainting them. They looked incredible and it was fun to do.
Then the idea came to me to start doing them in different colors with Americana themes. I gave some away to relatives as gifts and to a couple of friends. The feedback was great from them. Soon after, the phone started ringing with people offering me money to buy one of them.
That is when the small business started for me in 2007, and have since refurbished and shipped well over 500 payphones to people in all parts of the world.
Over the following years I have learned a lot from the old timers who used to work for the telephone companies, along with collectors. Also, finding a few people who can supply me with original parts needed to replace broken or missing is also priceless for the process.
Every phone is carefully refurbished to new, but still has the look and feel of being old and priceless. At no time are replica parts used or any modifications made to the original design, ever!
They really are antiques and vintage Americana, meant to be used and working every day in your home or business.
That is my promise that goes into every single one that is shipped.