Jolly_John Posted January 2 Share Posted January 2 I just read a disturbing post on another old car forum that Paul's Chrome Plating in Evans City, PA was under financial stress and has now closed permanently. The poster indicated no money was available to return customer work currently in-house, and it was likely no refunds of down payments would be made. That poster indicated there was simply no money available at the business. Again, this was info in one person's post. If true, I'm surprised there hasn't been more written about this on the forum's because of the company's "status" in the collector car plating world. I did Google Paul's and found a notation of "Permanently Closed". I'm not intending to spread a rumor or distribute bad information. Perhaps some of the forum guys in PA or elsewhere can clarify or add something. If this info is true...my goodness how the mighty have fallen. I sent work there 25 years ago that came back looking like fine "jewelry". Yes, they were expensive even then, but at the time they were ranked among the top two or three platers in the country for exceptional decorative chrome work. John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Restorer32 Posted January 2 Share Posted January 2 Sad if true. We used to use Paul's exclusively. When their first shop burned to the ground we had all the chrome from a '31 Packard 840 Roadster there. They literally sifted thru the ashes and found every piece of our chrome, all of which was finished but had not been shipped. Paul's was one of the best platers anywhere and I am saddened to hear this news. 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jpage Posted January 2 Share Posted January 2 I just had some work done a few weeks ago and they still have a couple of small parts. They were probably the best platers in this area. Last I spoke with them, no mention was made of any issues. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Gariepy Posted January 2 Share Posted January 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bhigdog Posted January 2 Share Posted January 2 My neighbor and friend has a part there. They called last week and told him if he sent a UPS pick up order they would return his part........Bob 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Walt G Posted January 2 Share Posted January 2 Very sad to read this Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete O Posted January 2 Share Posted January 2 IMHO, Going bankrupt does not just come on instantly. The owner had to have seen this coming quite a while ago. If they saw the business failing, it was unethical for them to continue to take in new work and take deposits. No money left in the business to return work in house? If the owner has any honor left in him, he would use his personal savings to make sure his customers items are returned. 9 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jolly_John Posted January 2 Author Share Posted January 2 (edited) Interesting, in that I just found out about the problem at Paul's yesterday, and started this post. Nothing here on the AACA forum prior. I see there's a vintage Corvette forum where they have been talking since early- to mid-December about Paul's abrupt closing and the financial issues. Hard to figure why guys here on the forum weren't aware of the bad news sooner. John Edited January 2 by Jolly_John (see edit history) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry Bond Posted January 2 Share Posted January 2 Sometimes things slow down over the Christmas season. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Boehm Posted January 4 Share Posted January 4 I have read many posts on various forums about the great job Paul's Chrome did on their chrome. Am I the only one ever to have a bad experience at Paul's? They did a terrible job on my pot metal pieces in 2010. They said they would remedy the situation but I had to hound them for a year and then the redone pieces were only fair. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Restorer32 Posted January 4 Share Posted January 4 I wonder if Paul's was sold before the poor reviews. We last used Paul's in '98 and I swear if you sent them a pic of a part they would return it perfectly plated. We never had less that perfect work from them. We only changed due to distance as shipping costs and insurance skyrocketed. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jolly_John Posted January 4 Author Share Posted January 4 At some point in time (don't know when), I believe Paul's son, Fred took over the business. John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Akstraw Posted January 5 Share Posted January 5 (edited) I talked to a woman there yesterday who said that she had the part I had left with them at Hershey, and they would be returning it to me (unplated) within the next two weeks. Edited January 5 by Akstraw (see edit history) 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mobileparts Posted January 5 Share Posted January 5 I don't know how to take threads from one site and put them into another, but if you all look at thread # 29 on page 2 of www.v8buick.com under the category " The Bench " ... You all will see , that apparently, in 2021 and 2022 , Paul's Plating received 2 Pandemic Loans from the small business association that totalled $ 470,000...... take a peek...... One would think that $ 470,000 would be enough to keep a small business afloat ?!?! If anyone knows how to transfer that information, post it here.... 1 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
B Jake Moran Posted January 5 Share Posted January 5 Well-a person should not speculate but it would be interesting to know what happened to that Federal money. As with any Federal “program” fraud and misappropriation is rampant. 7 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
B Jake Moran Posted January 5 Share Posted January 5 11 hours ago, mobileparts said: I don't know how to take threads from one site and put them into another, but if you all look at thread # 29 on page 2 of www.v8buick.com under the category " The Bench " ... You all will see , that apparently, in 2021 and 2022 , Paul's Plating received 2 Pandemic Loans from the small business association that totalled $ 470,000...... take a peek...... One would think that $ 470,000 would be enough to keep a small business afloat ?!?! If anyone knows how to transfer that information, post it here.... That V8 Buick thread is mostly politics, not germaine to the subject of Pauls. Well look, we've seen some of the most iconic collector car businesses go out of business. The 2 upholstery businesses come to mind, Hampton Coach and the other one I can't remember. Please note these are "restoration" businesses and there are relatively few people doing restorations anymore compared to 25 to 40 years ago. Yes that seems like a long time ago, but when were garage restorations in their hey day? 1960's to 1980's. If you are doing a restoration now don't say "hey there is still a lot of us out there!" Drop in the bucket compared to 25 to 40 years ago. I sent rotted taillamp housing from a 1954 Chrysler New Yorker to Paul's 20 years ago and the cost was too much, and he sent them back. (I included shipping cost, but back then it was $6 or $7) I think he wanted $550 for 2 housings. Good work costs money. I have a Mustang parts catalog on my desk from Classic Industries. So? About 2/3 of the way through there is a card to get "free" catalogs for everything else they sell. If you are interested in anything "off beat" forget it. I know there are other sources, but this is a microcosm of the hobby now. Similar to the "resto mods" we see going across the Scottsdale auctions with beer gut salt and pepper millionaires nodding to the auction personnel. This relates to the Pauls issue because I can see they would have declining sales, and employee retention issues. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bhigdog Posted January 5 Share Posted January 5 (edited) Why is anyone surprised when a high end specialty restoration shop can't find enough paying customers willing & able to cover the overhead? Sadly, a preview of coming attractions..............Bob Edited January 5 by Bhigdog (see edit history) 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Skelly Posted January 5 Share Posted January 5 5 hours ago, B Jake Moran said: Hampton Coach and the other one I can't remember. LeBaron Bonney? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fordy Posted January 5 Share Posted January 5 We have a plater here in Adelaide South Australia who used to be my default based on the quality of the work done. They have "lost the plot" and now return substandard work and charge top dollar for it and expect a happy customer. People talk and people walk. I am wondering just how much longer they will be around when the competition is better, cheaper and a faster turnaround. Steve 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ron hausmann Posted January 6 Share Posted January 6 All, Unfortunately, many many small shops that catered to small- job restoration stuff for guys like us have gone out of business in these last couple of years. Not enough volume to justify staying around. In Detroit, the two top antique car chrome/nickel plating companies, Fini-Finish and B&W, just went out of business this year. Less and less of these specialty folks! Ron Hausmann P.E. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JFranklin Posted January 6 Share Posted January 6 Don't procrastinate! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edinmass Posted January 6 Share Posted January 6 58 minutes ago, JFranklin said: Don't procrastinate! “Procrastinators of the world unite!” Tomorrow! 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
61polara Posted January 6 Share Posted January 6 5 hours ago, Jim Skelly said: LeBaron Bonney? Hampton Coach and LeBaron Bonney through several sales were bought by Echlers, who decided to stop manufacturing any products inhouse and only become a reseller. Last month, they scraped all the upholstery patterns. I don't know if they tried to find a buyer or not, but I know that there are not many people who are interested in getting into the business of supporting our hobby. Another business supporting our hobby for many years apparently decided to discontinue there 1930-1950's parts reproductions and concentrate on Mustangs only. There is money to be made out there, I know, I'm out there as a supplier. I can't find help who is interested in working for a good wage. We need to find a way to connect sellers of restorations businesses with potential buyers of these businesses so we don't loose the mold, patterns and knowledge of how to reproduces these items. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bhigdog Posted January 6 Share Posted January 6 5 minutes ago, 61polara said: We need to find a way to connect sellers of restorations businesses with potential buyers of these businesses so we don't loose the mold, patterns and knowledge of how to reproduces these items. The problem is while the pool of parts/services customers shrinks through attrition and demographics and the cost of covering the overhead in what is often a very labor intensive and very low volume business continue to rise it's VERY hard to survive. If you need $100/hr+ shop rate just to cover the nut and you are selling to a minuscule sliver of the population you are in a dying business and only a fool or a dreamer would want in.......Bob 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hemi Joel Posted January 6 Share Posted January 6 A lot of small business failures in this day and time are more attributable to lack of reliable, skilled workers then lack of customers. Plating/ restoration takes a lot of highly skilled labor. 7 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edinmass Posted January 6 Share Posted January 6 (edited) 12 hours ago, Hemi Joel said: A lot of small business failures in this day and time are more attributable to lack of reliable, skilled workers then lack of customers. Plating/ restoration takes a lot of highly skilled labor. 14 yeas ago, I saw this labor shortage coming....slowly at first, and now we are only half way into it. It's why I sold all my businesses that had employees. And I'm glad I did it then. Fact is, if you're a successful self employed businessman or craftsman you can now get a job for twice you were making running your own place, with no cash flow or employee headaches............it's why I manage a collection now. Edited January 6 by edinmass (see edit history) 8 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
auburnseeker Posted January 6 Share Posted January 6 Probably didn't help for a long time they were preaching we would be a service economy and not a manufacturing economy and they drove/ pushed/ pulled us in that direction. I said the only way for us to be a sustainable country is to have people that make stuff. Lots of us saw that when they got rid of shop class in schools. Even back in the early 90's shop was a gutted introductory program, you had to go with the dumb kids to Boces to get votec training, which all the guidance counselors frowned upon when you had grades in the mid 90's. Why would you want smart guys learning trades? They are the ones that will be able to run the successful businesses later but will have the hands on experience to know all the details of the business and not just the bookkeeping part they teach you in business school. Looks like that's all coming home to roost. What do us little guys know though. You wonder if some of these thinkers actually know how to balance a check book, because their numbers never seem to add up. If they can't do that we surely shouldn't be letting them plot the course of the future. 4 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
West Peterson Posted January 6 Share Posted January 6 15 hours ago, JFranklin said: Don't procrastinate! 14 hours ago, edinmass said: “Procrastinators of the world unite!” Tomorrow! Don't do today, what you can put off until tomorrow. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frank DuVal Posted January 6 Share Posted January 6 Well, schools stopped teaching "shop" classes when the CEOs and CFOs sent all the manufacturing jobs overseas to maximize profits and line their pockets. No jobs, why teach the profession? Not much call to teach buggy-whip construction either.😉 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
auburnseeker Posted January 6 Share Posted January 6 8 minutes ago, Frank DuVal said: Well, schools stopped teaching "shop" classes when the CEOs and CFOs sent all the manufacturing jobs overseas to maximize profits and line their pockets. No jobs, why teach the profession? Not much call to teach buggy-whip construction either.😉 And here we are needing buggy whips. Must be everyone thought that the current workforce wouldn't age out or that a country that is continually growing won't need people to maintain and continue to build the roads, infrastructure or housing. Hard to import completely installed AC, Heat, Electrical system, Roads or Houses that are ready to move into, mush less maintain any of what is already here, or the equipment maintenance and repair to continue building for the influx of people flooding the country. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BakersDznDubs Posted February 1 Share Posted February 1 21st Century Finishes in Bellmore, NY without question. Will handle anything that you send. Not cheap, but the work absolutely speaks for itself & is top notch. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jolly_John Posted February 2 Author Share Posted February 2 17 hours ago, BakersDznDubs said: 21st Century Finishes in Bellmore, NY without question. Will handle anything that you send. Not cheap, but the work absolutely speaks for itself & is top notch. Welcome to the AACA forums. Thanks for the recommendation. Please tell us about some of the work they did for you. John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John348 Posted February 2 Share Posted February 2 23 hours ago, BakersDznDubs said: 21st Century Finishes in Bellmore, NY without question. Will handle anything that you send. Not cheap, but the work absolutely speaks for itself & is top notch. I never heard of them and I live 20 miles away, how long have they been around? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nick8086 Posted February 3 Share Posted February 3 I took parts off my Kaiser Darrin and had them chrome. I would drop a part off and pickup in 8 weeks. I did this for 5 years.. The bad thing I have never install them.. But they are done.. I got by cheap some items was 45.00 the most I paid was 320.00 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stainless Revival Posted February 21 Share Posted February 21 I have been an employee of Paul’s Chrome for the past 20 years and have been responsible for all stainless restorations for the company. Since the closing of Paul’s I have opened STAINLESS REVIVAL LLC. Specializing in removing dings, dents, bends and twists producing a mirror finish. Look me up at stainlessrevival.com. I’ve always taken pride in my work and treat every piece as if it were my own. Almost everyone has received their parts back and refund checks have been completed. Paul’s is not interested in keeping anybody’s parts. Lack of production and rising costs of supplies forced us to close. A lot of Paul’s staff retired after Covid and has been extremely difficult finding quality replacements. 16 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jolly_John Posted February 22 Author Share Posted February 22 (edited) As the original poster, I can say it is very good to get your personal update about Paul's. Thank you, and good luck with your new business. John Edited February 22 by Jolly_John (see edit history) 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phillip Cole Posted February 22 Share Posted February 22 4 hours ago, Stainless Revival said: I have been an employee of Paul’s Chrome for the past 20 years and have been responsible for all stainless restorations for the company. Since the closing of Paul’s I have opened STAINLESS REVIVAL LLC. Specializing in removing dings, dents, bends and twists producing a mirror finish. Look me up at stainlessrevival.com. I’ve always taken pride in my work and treat every piece as if it were my own. Almost everyone has received their parts back and refund checks have been completed. Paul’s is not interested in keeping anybody’s parts. Lack of production and rising costs of supplies forced us to close. A lot of Paul’s staff retired after Covid and has been extremely difficult finding quality replacements. Great to hear about your new company. Great to hear about a proper conclusion for Paul's. Y ou hang in there! 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stainless Revival Posted February 22 Share Posted February 22 On 1/2/2024 at 11:34 AM, Pete O said: IMHO, Going bankrupt does not just come on instantly. The owner had to have seen this coming quite a while ago. If they saw the business failing, it was unethical for them to continue to take in new work and take deposits. No money left in the business to return work in house? If the owner has any honor left in him, he would use his personal savings to make sure his customers items are returned. That is basically what ended up happening. EVERYONE has received or is about to receive their deposit money back. It is a federal offense to keep money for services not rendered. Every year at the end of the year is a slow time. Been happening for a long time. We were always able to plan for that. There are lots of people talking bad about Paul’s due to not receiving their money or parts back. Most people were understanding and only really a few were extremely upset but those are the ones who don’t understand that the process takes time to remedy. 3 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ted sweet Posted February 23 Share Posted February 23 if they went bankrupt you are a non secured creator Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stainless Revival Posted February 23 Share Posted February 23 They did not file bankruptcy. I do not understand your comment. Please elaborate. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now