Newell S. Tobey remains quietly determined to continue the one-man business he's managed to maintain since 1933 in the shop behind his home, upholstering items of found furniture for friends, neighbors and Northern visitors.
At 91, Tobey takes shelter from the afternoon heat in the shade of a large oak, speaking in slow and deliberate terms as he attempts to explain the secret of his venture's longevity.
Prior to moving to Zephyrhills in 1958, the Massachusetts native spent his early years in a number of occupations before deciding to try his hand at upholstering.
"I bounced around quite a bit, trying to find myself. I went to Chicago to work for a few years around 1918 and stayed out there until the crash [of the stock market in 1929. I started building models for Sears Roebuck for their advertising. There were eight or 10 house models that they sold and you'd buy the whole thing in pieces. I built the models and they had them on display in the main store down there."
Upon visiting his father's home in Vermont, Tobey happened upon an upholstery business almost by accident.
"I rigged up a bench, a few tools in a barn and just taught myself how to do it. There's nothing to it, you just have to use a little common sense, and a little artistic sense, too, you know."
After successfully pursuing his new-found calling in New England for some 20 years, it was while visiting Florida that Tobey would occasionally help with set construction. It was not long before he, his wife and workbench were on their way to permanent residence.
"I loaded my tools in the car and just set up shop. It wasn't a week before I had a piece of work."
A widower for 10 years, Tobey is content to spend his time between the company of a few good friends and his favorite pastime, and sees little chance of his business continuing if he ever sees fit to give it up.
"I always enjoyed it, and I still do," Tobey says. "I had thoughts that I might get my grandson to get into it, but it never developed. There's really nothing to pass on, I guess."
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