Owensboro duo takes vintage furniture to new heights

August 2, 2020 | 12:08 am

Updated August 1, 2020 | 10:21 pm

Photos courtesy of Ark Vintage Furniture and Renovation

Aaron Isom and Kevin Gore have transformed the vintage and rustic furniture industry. The business partners created Ark Vintage Furniture and Renovation in 2014, and they now sell custom pieces via Facebook all over the country.

While Chip and Joanna Gaines of the HGTV television show “Fixer Upper” popularized the use of shiplap and old barn wood in custom homes, Owensboro natives Isom and Gore capitalized on the movement. Isom left his full-time position as a contractor while Gore uses his time off from the fire department to construct their custom pieces.

“I was so busy losing money working for someone else,” Isom said. “We both had backgrounds in building custom homes. This has been a passion of ours for quite some time. It was a great fit.”

Their more popular products are farmhouse tables, antique pieces and custom mantles. Isom developed the idea after assisting his brother-in-law in Indianapolis who was already active in the industry.

“My brother-in-law was doing it up there and selling furniture all over the country,” he said. “People love the shiplap and rustic look. I saw how well he was doing, so we wanted to give it a try.”

The two are steadfast in their faith and want to be integral members of the community. They arrived at the name ARK after admiring Noah’s efforts in the bible.

“Noah didn’t have a plan and he became a carpenter and built a ship,” he said. “That was a lot of our inspiration. We also give back to the community by crafting custom pieces that can be used at auctions and other charity events.”

The pandemic slowed down their efforts briefly, but overall it has had a relatively positive impact on their business. With no storefront and operating primarily on Facebook, the two are able to combat many of the restrictions placed on businesses.

“Business was good when it first hit and then it slowed down for a bit,” he said. “After the first stimulus check was sent out, we were rocking and rolling. Within the last few days, business has really picked back up.”

In addition to creating and refurbishing furniture, the two also venture into remodeling and re-finishing custom cabinets and trim in homes. For more information on their business, visit their website here arkvintagefurniture.com or their Facebook page

August 2, 2020 | 12:08 am

Share this Article

Other articles you may like