Timothy Puro

Tim Puro runs Monroe Furniture Restoration in Bloomington, Ind. Unsatisfied with his career as a bank trust officer, Puro turned his furniture hobby into a profession. Like many hobbyists, he was often asked to repair broken or damaged furniture. The repairs usually went fine, but the finishing was a mystery. That led to a furniture touch-up class with teacher Mitch Kohanek, and a new career for Puro. “There are a lot of woodworkers out there but not so many people involved in the craft of furniture repair and finishing,” he says, “It looked like an opportunity to carve out a niche in the furniture business.” Today Puro employs two assistants at his thriving business, taking on everything from onsite repairs to regluing a parade of broken chairs. He teaches at the nearby Marc Adams School for five to six weeks each year, and also at woodworking clubs.