Back in the days before it was discovered by reporter from the local newspaper, 'Joe's Fine Antiques and Furniture Design' was known of as 'Joe's Junk and Antique Shop'. It's owner, a man who goes only by the name of Gustave, would have much preferred to let the shop keep its original name, which he felt lent the place a certain quaint character. But once the cat was out of the bag, there was no stopping it. The shop became famous, and people came from everywhere in order to see and buy its treasures.

Gustave's talent lay in his exceptional ability to see the hidden beauty of rusted-out bedsteads and old, beaten up baby cribs. Not only could he see their hidden potential, he could transform them into creations of exquisite elegance. Before long, interior designers to the rich and famous were beating a path to his door. The waiting list for one of his creations was several months long.

Gustave was a professional furniture designer who specialized in furniture recycling. He was always on the look-out for good pieces, visiting both estate sales and yard sales in his never-ending quest for used furniture. Twice a week, on the night before garbage-day, he cruised the streets in search of potential pieces. When he found one, he immediately brought it back to the shop, where he stripped it down and remodeled it. Cheap armchairs became stylish pieces of furniture fit for executive living rooms in his skilled hands. Their curbside origins remained a secret between himself and the interior designer purchasing it.

The sad fact was that almost nobody, outside of a few brilliant interior designers, even realized that there were designers who specialized in recycled furniture until the newspaper ran the story about Gustave's little shop.

But Gustave was not only an expert in furniture recycling, he was also an expert in antique furniture. The same talent that allowed him to see the inner qualities in discarded furniture enabled him to unerringly spot legitimate antiques that were hidden in the midst of piles of junk. At a glance, he was able to distinguish genuine Pennsylvania Farmhouse dining sets from lesser copies. Even thick layers of paint could hide them from his sharp eyes.

Once an antique was in his hands he would spend hours lovingly restoring it, no matter how lowly it was. It did not even have to be a piece of furniture. His interest in other antiques started when he discovered a strange-looking object amongst the personal effects of the store's previous owner. His inner alarm bells went off instantly. Sure enough, after a bit of research he was able to determine that he had a genuine nineteenth century bedpan on his hands. He could not have been more pleased.

Being the toast of the town is not easy for an artist such as Gustave. Despite the hardships, he manages to live with his fame. To lighten his load he finally has taken on an apprentice to whom he gave the single name of 'Charles'. As for the bedpan, that now sits proudly in the collection of a minister whose name Gustave will not divulge.

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