In May of 2023, our family’s 3rd generation Tavern had our business completely burned out in a fire, the only real surviving piece was our much beloved back bar. The early 20th-century Brunswick-Balke-Collender Art Deco piece had structurally survived, but looked to be nearly beyond salvage. If the piece couldn’t be saved, the tavern was not going to be rebuilt, the place would not have been the same without the old beauty as the centerpiece.

Luckily a family member who had recently had a piece of furniture refinished, recommended Ryan Hendey as someone who might be able to offer me some advice on if it was feasible to try and save our bar. From the first conversation, he made me feel like a person who was dealing with a tough situation, and not some contractor trying to pull my leg and make a quick buck. His early advice and encouragement convinced me that it was worth a shot to dismantle it, transport it, and see what he recommended after getting a closer look.

The bar was disassembled into 13 large pieces and shipped to Ryan’s shop where he performs his magic. He realized the budget restraints I was facing because of our situation with insurance and the task that remained for the rebuild of the building itself. He was honest about the amount of work it would take, and that he wasn’t exactly certain what we would find when we began to peel 100 years of patina and a charred section off, but he was confident it could be done. And done it was, he sunk his heart and soul into the project for several months, keeping me updated along the way on the progress with pictures that really helped keep my spirits up during a tough rebuild period. When it was placed back inside the tavern after all the blood sweat and tears, it literally brought tears to my eyes. I could feel the pride that Ryan took in taking on such a huge project for someone that he could genuinely help. I could not be more proud of the beautiful piece, and it is quickly becoming the beloved local pub backdrop again, a spot it had held for 70 years. It truly is stunning, and knowing the work it took to bring it back to life makes me very proud.

Ryan didn’t know me at all before the project, but I am happy to say that I consider him a friend for life. Not only are his wood-working skills top shelf, but his passion and pride in his work are obvious when you speak with him. I dealt with several not so pleasant contractor situations during the rebuild, Ryan was just the opposite, not only with his advice and knowledge. He truly treated me like a friend who did everything in his power to get me through a tough patch and he was able to do it all knowing our financial situation was tight. He even came in under budget, which I am eternally grateful for, without his help I might not be back in front of that bar slinging drinks to the locals again.

So with that it goes without saying that Ryan is a true craftsmen, who is able to do magical things with his work, but also a top notch person who I would not hesitate to hire for any project in the future. He really is a quality individual in a world that needs them, and I am glad to call him my friend.

Russ Hash, Aggies Fun House (Bloomfield, IN)

As the owner of some treasured antiques passed on to me from four to five generations, I have been extremely impressed by the skill which has been so successfully applied to each piece I have entrusted to Ryan Hendey for Restoration.  His work is beyond superb. He has returned furniture to me that looks like the original while retaining some imperfections the pieces have experienced over time. Ryan refinishes each piece inside and out.  It is my opinion that the talent this young man possesses is almost lost in today’s modern world, but he still has it big time.

Ray Lewis

I recently purchased 4 ladder back dining chairs from an online auction estate sale. The chairs were painted black, however some of the paint had worn off and a wood finish was visible. I decided it might be a good idea to have these chairs stripped and refinished…. Ryan was able to create a stain color to match the chairs perfectly to my dining room table…. The result was just beautiful! He had sanded them several times and applied a lovely satin finish. Perfection! I absolutely loved the finished product and would most certainly recommend him. He is amazingly talented in bringing out the beauty and detail of the wood and fine tuning the stain colors! Thank you Ryan!

Karen McCormick

Ryan did an awesome refinishing and repair job on my late husband’s Aunt’s 1920 dresser.  The dresser had several different types of wood and inlay.  After the incredible work Ryan had done on a couple of other pieces, I was not worried about having him repair and refinish this very sentimental piece.  It was amazing how beautifully it turned out.  Ryan did an incredible job reconstructing a bottom portion of the dresser.  I would recommend Ryan, who worked diligently on the piece, in a heartbeat. This was no overnight job! Patience was a must and his work exemplified the TLC he put into the project.

Dawn A.