Christena Plummer

So nice to meet you! First off, what’s your name? Tell our readers a bit about yourself—where you’re from originally and where you live now.

Hello! It's very good to be here. I am Christena Plummer, but friends call me Chrissy. I'm originally from Fallston, Pennsylvania, a small borough in Beaver County, near Pittsburgh. I moved around a little bit and ended up coming back home to Fallston, living three blocks down from my childhood home, which is still in the family.

Tell us one thing you love about where you live now.

Oh, that is a difficult question to answer! There is so much to appreciate about living in a very small town that it is hard to pick what I love most. What makes Fallston so nice to live in would have to be its residents. I grew up here, and I have known nearly everyone around me since childhood. I get to watch my childhood friends grow up and have children, who themselves grow and play with my children. A walk down the street is pleasantly paused every block or so for a conversation with another neighbor. Voting day at the municipal building goes from a civic duty to a genuinely delightful outing, seeing the neighbors and chatting a few minutes about how everyone's family is doing. I have often referred to Fallston as our little "Mayberry." They are more than just neighbors; I'm living in a town of friends.

Tell us a little more about what your company does and how it started. How does it help your customers?

My mother had an automotive upholstery shop that I grew up around, so the industry was familiar to me already. I learned how to sew at eight years old, which became a passion of mine. I taught myself machine maintenance, technical sewing, historical construction, theatrical construction, pattern drafting and altering. Anything that can challenge me, I become fascinated by. Little by little I began doing ever-increasing amounts of heavy-duty sewing. First it started with denim equipment bags, a punkin' chunkin' trebuchet sling, some camper cushions... Although very mentally stimulating (I love a good puzzle), it can be hard on the body. A lot of the upholsterers near me have since retired. After a few years of sewing on the side, I decided to pull the trigger and make myself a legitimate business, Plummer Upholstery. I am an automotive upholstery shop, and I reupholster vehicle interiors, heavy-duty sewing projects, motorcycle and dirt bike seats, marine seats and panels, unique special project sewing, school bus seats, hot rod interiors, camper/RV seats, and occasionally, teddy bear surgery.

Plummer Upholstery, by repairing, recovering, or recreating, keeps what could be destined for a junkyard in serviceable condition longer. I help the motorcycle rider sit comfortably in his seat with custom foam work so that he can enjoy what he worked so hard for. Vehicles retain their value with custom repairs or replacement so that when the time comes to trade in, customers maximize their bargaining power.

If someone wants to start a business, what advice would you give them?

If you have the drive to succeed, don't allow people who are negative and jealous of you to talk you out of doing what you want to do. Yes, be practical in your approach and research your area's zoning laws, tax filing, and those boring legal requirements that will protect you and your business. Take a basic business management class, an accounting class, talk to people in the industry and ask a lot of questions, and above all, don't give up. You've got this.

What is one piece of feedback from a happy customer or client that you won't forget?

A client was particularly detail-oriented with a unique project, and when the job was complete he was very happy. Months later he called back to tell me again how happy he was with the job, and advised his friends and family to use my upholstery shop. It felt really good knowing that someone was pleased with my craftsmanship.

Where do you see your company in the future?

In the next year my company will expand into a larger workshop. I plan on being able to accommodate interiors for not only personal vehicles, but also fleet vehicles, large marine canvas, and industrial interior applications such as police, fire and rescue. I have goals of giving virtual workshops in the future, because this industry is not one you find in a vo-tech classroom. All of this will allow me to give back to my community philanthropically or by volunteering, which gives me great satisfaction. I have done several unique projects for the local high school marching band, which I have enjoyed immensely and hope to continue in the future.

What is the biggest misconception about your industry?

I would say the biggest misconception comes from the automotive industry itself: advertising leather in their vehicles without educating customers on what quality of leather is being used. I've seen "genuine leather" used, which means it takes the cheaper suede, coated with plasticiser, stamped with texture, and bonded to a fabric backing to improve the durability. Oftentimes leather panels are paired with vinyl panels on the same seat. Luxury cars use a higher grade of leather, but I would encourage anyone to take a few minutes to really get to know what they are buying. In the end, when the customer chooses to recover their seats with leather from an upholstery shop, they are getting a far superior product than what the automotive industry typically uses and produces.

What has been one of your biggest struggles building your business, and how did you deal with it?

My biggest struggle in building my business was coming up to speed with current technology, local laws pertaining to a commercial business, and expanding into our new workshop. I had to wear a lot of hats in the first year the business was up and running. I had to learn fast, and at times it was very overwhelming. I was familiar with the old-school way of conducting business: paper ledgers, desk calendar, etc. I had to learn what it takes to be in business in today's fast-paced, technologically savvy world. I built a website, and I learned about invoicing online, business phones and their platforms, equipment and supporting programs, navigating IRS forms and the IRS website, etc. I learned about zoning and building requirements. I dealt with each hurdle by taking a deep breath, stepping back for a moment from the task, and trying again. YouTube has been a helpful resource when it came to videos on programming my phone and tutorials on applications I use on my computer, and the zoning office in New Brighton has been indispensable when it came to my endless barrage of questions.

Who was your favorite music artist and athlete growing up?

Growing up in the '80s and '90s gave me an appreciation for a wide variety of music, from classical, jazz, and big band to heavy metal, country and hip hop. I mostly listened to rock and roll and alternative music into my late teens. I never had a favorite athlete growing up, but I do enjoy a hockey game. I cheer for the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Any shoutouts you want to make?

To my husband, Chris, thank you for helping breathe life into my projects and plans, for being my cheerleader, coach and occasional therapist. You make living life easy, and have enabled me to reach milestones in my business and personal life that I would have never been able to accomplish alone. I am truly blessed to have you by my side.

To my girls, Ellie and Sarah, who have been so gracious, understanding, and forgiving of me for taking over the dining room and living room with work. It was almost a year that they had to make do and conduct life among customer projects, picking their way through the house at times, and doing so without complaint. Thank you.

Thank you to the New Brighton Zoning Office for being so obliging, answering all my questions, as many as there were. Thank you to Fallston Borough Municipal for being so generous with their patience with me as I make sense of commercial construction rules, and at the same time run a business and be a mom to two fantastic, accomplished young ladies.

Where can our readers learn more about you and your company?

Head on over to my website at plummerupholstery.com to check out the About Me page! I have some pretty neat before and after photos of past work I've done.