About the shop
Twenty years of sawdust on the west side.
Gostar Restoration has been on Godfrey Avenue since 2006. We’re not a franchise and we don’t sell furniture — we fix the furniture you already own and would rather not replace.
How it started
A second-generation finisher who couldn’t sit still.
Arman Gostar grew up sweeping shavings in his father’s small finishing shop. When the family landed in Michigan, Grand Rapids — the old “Furniture City” — felt like the right place to hang a shingle. He rented a bay on Godfrey Avenue in 2006 with one spray booth, a glue pot, and a stubborn opinion that most furniture people throw away is worth saving.
Two decades later the booth is bigger and there are five of us, but the opinion hasn’t changed. We still re-glue a wobbly chair the slow way. We still turn away the occasional job when the honest answer is “keep your money.” And we still get a little too excited when a piece comes in with a maker’s stamp nobody’s seen in years.
The little diamond in our mark
The amber diamond tucked into our logo is a nod to marquetry — the inlay work Arman loves most. It’s the fussiest thing we do and almost nobody asks for it, which is exactly why it’s on the sign.
How we work
Four things we won’t budge on.
Look first, quote second
Every piece gets set on the bench and checked underneath before we give a number. Photos help, but the real estimate happens in person.
Keep the wood readable
We build finishes up by hand so the grain still shows. No thick, plasticky topcoat that hides what you paid for.
Lead-safe on old paint
Painted pieces from before 1978 are handled under the EPA’s Renovation, Repair and Painting rule. It’s slower. It’s worth it.
Say no when we should
If a repair makes more sense than a restoration — or if a piece isn’t worth either — we’ll tell you before you spend a dime.
Two decades in, give or take
A small shop that’s been here a while.
We’re proud of those numbers, but we’ll be straight with you: we’re a workshop, not an appraisal service. If you need an insurance valuation on an antique, we’re happy to point you to a certified appraiser in the area.
Have something that’s seen better days?
Bring it by the bench or send a few photos. We’ll tell you what we see and what it’d take to make it right.
Request an estimate