'Restoring and Reworking' the U.S. Economy One Antique at a Time

For Castro Valley local Cisco Diaz, 47, one person’s trash is his treasure, which he then repurposes, restores and reworks into something useful for someone else.

What started off as a hobby 16 months ago has become Diaz’ growing business — Restore & Rework.

Six days a week, he rummages at Bay Area flea markets, estate and garage sales, swap meets and salvage yards, looking for hidden gems of metal, wood and glass to transform into shabby chic décor.

However, it's at the vintage and antique shows, where he usually sells his wares, that he ends up discovering some of his best finds, including potential clients and friends.

Over time, Diaz built a strong following without any paid advertising. He mostly relies on word-of-mouth through customers, fans and friends. The support he's gained is especially evident at his Castro Valley workshop-turned-storefront, which he .

"I wanted to stay local and keep the money in town," said the Castro Valley resident of 12 years.

He runs the shop with help from his wife, daughter, sister and a close friend. The family's grown closer than ever since the business started according to family-friend and store employee Laura Guzman.

She said the family often gathers there to host work parties where they enjoy lunch together while painting items Diaz plans to sell.

During the monthly openings at his workshop, a constant flow of customers wander throughout the warehouse facility, where an antiquated, musty scent of history lingers in the air.

“It’s amazing how he gets something that’s been orphaned and brings new life to it,” said customer Mark Hess from San Leandro. Hess purchased a wooden birdhouse and cabinet-door-turned-tray from Diaz.

But it isn’t just affordable, American-made items that keep his customers coming back for more.

“A revolving inventory,” as Diaz calls it, introduces new items to the shop and shows and keeps his hunt exciting. He said he rarely stumbles upon the same item twice.

“I feel like my customers deserve that,” Diaz said. “They want to see new things and so do I.”

Creating a Creative Job in a Stagnant Market

After spending 17 years as a mortgage broker, Diaz found himself out of work when the economy took a turn for the worst. Similar to many Americans — he spent two years struggling to find a job and grew worried as he watched his savings shrink. 

In October, the according to the state Economic Development Department. However, despite the unemployment rate being down compared to previous months, the number of jobs in the region has also decreased.

With extra time on his hands, he turned to his hobby: building birdhouses.

What started off as constructing homes for feathered friends snowballed into a full-fledged career selling anything from home furnishings to accessories. Practically everything in Diaz' shop is made or found in the U.S. — from the materials used to transform the items to the products as a whole.

“I want to keep using the items available to me here and not go outside of the country,” he said.

And it’s this philosophy that Diaz believes will not only help the environment but that will also help rebuild the U.S. economy.

Diaz said it would be easier to just buy pre-made products and resell them at a higher price. However, he said his approach allows him to keep prices low for clients without a lot of money to spend.

Different items vary, but Diaz said at his last open-workshop sale, items sold for about $26 average. 

Selling Old, Used Items Like New

Frames, especially those which are ornately decorated, tend to be the most popular items.

“People do projects with them,” he said.

A few of his crafty customers have changed them into chalkboards and bulletin boards.

“I love it when they come in here and get inspired,” he said.

But what Diaz enjoys most is when they inspire him. He said a woman who bought a vintage door frame transformed it into a giant picture frame by attaching chicken wire and wooden clothes pins to where a glass window once stood.

Old, rusty metal pieces are also a top-seller. However, it’s almost like an oxymoron to discover a beautifully rusted item — making these the most difficult pieces to find,  according to Diaz.

“I think [customers] like them because they go through a natural process,” he said.

When something doesn't sell after two shows or two weeks — whichever comes first — Guzman said changing the paint color usually does the trick.

"It's amazing what you can do with a little paint and time," she said.

Proving Pessimists Wrong

Despite having a supportive family, Diaz said some people he encountered while traveling during shows thought opening a brick-and-mortar store in the midst of a troubled economy was a terrible idea.

"I don't let negativity run my business," Diaz said.

He added that it's an exhilarating feeling to prove those people wrong.

“From starting with nothing to having a shop full of stuff and paying customers just inspires me to do more."

He said the best advice he could give entreprenuers wanting to open a business in today’s market is to start small and be patient when buying inventory.

“Take it slow and easy to see what sells and doesn’t, and make decisions based on that,” he said.

You can find more articles from this ongoing series, “Dispatches: The Changing Amerian Dream” from across the country at The Huffington Post.