A New Kind Retail Therapy

Odyssey House is moving on up. Uptown, that is, with the opening of its new furniture store, Furniture Rehab, on Magazine Street. Many clients would say that Odyssey House gave them a second chance in life, so we thought it would only be fair if we extended that same attitude towards furniture items that may seem slightly blemished, but, with a little work, can be restored to their original beauty.

Of course, Furniture Rehab is not only a furniture store; it is the product of the therapeutic process of treatment at OHL. While at OHL, clients are placed in at least one four-month job function, one such job function being Odyssey House’s Furniture Restoration and Rehabilitation Program where clients are trained by a professional carpenter in all aspects of furniture repair and refinishing in a workshop on OHL’s main campus.

 The Furniture Restoration and Rehabilitation Program is designed to be a continuation of the therapy clients receive at OHL. Working in a specific job function teaches clients valuable soft skills such as interacting respectfully and positively to authority, being on time for work, and balancing work responsibilities with daily living responsibilities. Having this “9 to 5” job function helps prepare clients for the reality of the business world once they graduate from OHL; this is a reality that many clients did not experience while actively using.

Steven M., an OHL client currently in treatment for the past five months, is the assistant head of the workshop. Steven says that he never imagined he would be learning furniture restoration skills when he first entered treatment, but concurs that working in the furniture program is a benefit to his treatment. “I’ve always struggled with low self-esteem, so it’s very rewarding to be able to be creative and be productive. When I watch a piece that I made come to life, I am very proud. I want to show everyone what I did.” Steven also says that his job function helps him remember that he has responsibilities and keeps him in touch with the normal workforce.

Steven recently built an original art piece that is now in the office of Furniture Rehab’s Manager, Randy Purpura. When asked if he would allow Randy to sell his piece in the store, Steven laughs and says, “I don’t know. I may let him put it in the store and tell my mom to go buy it. I love that piece.”

The marriage of therapy and marketable skill sets not only provides a wealth of experience and training for clients, it also produces one-of-a-kind, handcrafted, quality products available for resale to the community. Furniture Rehab also does its small part in cleaning up New Orleans; approximately 90% of the furniture and wood refurbished in the workshop is literally discarded furniture left out on the streets from Hurricane Katrina-flooded homes.
In addition to purchasing furniture from the retail store, customers can also bring their damaged or used furniture items to the workshop to be repaired and restored. Recently one customer brought in 19 furniture pieces to the workshop for repair.

Furniture Rehab Manager Randy Purpura recalls an encounter with a customer who asked the store to repair a few of her furniture pieces. Randy was chatting with the customer while at her house picking up the furniture when he noticed an Alcoholics Anonymous book on the floor. He began discussing with the woman the background behind Furniture Rehab and the woman eventually revealed that her husband was a former alcoholic who used to frequent the bar of a local restaurant where Randy has worked for over 20 years.  “It all just came around full circle,” Randy says.

When clients aren’t building furniture for the store, Randy allows them to express their creativity by building whatever idea comes into their heads. Steven remarks that Randy’s laid-back, learn-by-doing approach has helped build his confidence. “It makes me feel really good that he trusts me. And it’s like he gets me, like he understands and supports exactly what I want to do,” Steven says.

Randy admits that sometimes the clients whom he expects the least from are the ones who display surprising talent and work ethic. “ Sometimes I wonder who is teaching who,” Randy says. “I think I’ve learned way more than I could have possibly taught.”