Redesign Coach launched soft opening on Thursday

By Brandi Makuski

While it wasn’t widely advertised, within minutes of her soft opening on Thursday, Amy Zdroik already had two paying customers.

Zdroik, a speech and language teacher at Washington Elementary, opened Redesign Coach- what she calls a “vintage store” this week in Park Ridge. The store sells repurposed furniture, some consignment items, handmade items from local vendors and chalk paint exclusively by Annie Sloan, as well as the special brushes.

Annie Sloan paints are stored in vintage fashion along the store’s walls. (City Times photo)

Zdroik operates the business with her son, Bryan. The two obtain furniture from local estate sales, she said.

“Our motto it ‘Repurpose with Style’,” she said. “I think we have a society that throws away too much stuff, so I’ve always been into repurposing.”

Zdroik said she first encountered chalk paint while on vacation in Nevada, became curious and ordered a can.

“I’ve never looked back, and here we are today,” she said. “It’s amazing- there’s no odors, no fumes, most of the times you don’t even have to sand [the finished piece]. So you can take a yucky piece of furniture and turn it into something beautiful.”

Chalk paint is similar to regular paint, she said, but is thicker, dries faster and with a matte finish.

Zdroik said she’s also working with Les’ Upholstery, which is located next door, to upholster or

A dining room set, colored with chalk paint and reupholstered, will be a meeting place for classes offered at the store. (City Times photo)

reupholster furniture treasures she finds, and will invite her customers to do the same.

A cookie bar is stationed in the rear of the store and is excepted to open in January. The bar continues the repurposing theme, using old church pews and basketball court wood which have been fashioned into a counter top. The cookie bar, which will be operated by Paul Koch, owner of Les’ Upholstery, is expected to open in January.

An official grand opening of Redesign Coach is tentatively planned for Black Friday.

The store, located at 75 Sunset Blvd., is open Wed. through Fri., 10 AM- 5 PM and Sat. 10 AM- 2 PM.

Zdroik will also offer classes for chalk paint techniques. For more information click here or find Redesign Coach on Facebook.

The duo is looking for an official opening date of Black Friday.