Craftsman revives Hitchcock Chair Company

RIVERTON — For the past several years, Rick Swenson has been working to repair, restore and refinish Hitchcock Chair Company furniture pieces.

In fact, before the Riverton-based manufacturer ceased operations in 2006, the veteran craftsman had served as the company’s official restorer, learning the intricacies of the famed woodwork first hand by training alongside seasoned Hitchcock employees at its Riverton Road workshop.

It was a convenient agreement, since Swenson had opened his Still River Antiques right next door to the workshop three years ago. The shop has continually maintained one of the largest collections of fully restored Hitchcock pieces in the country.

When word got around that Hitchcock was interested in selling its brand name, it seemed only natural that Swenson should throw his hat in the ring for an opportunity to continue to keep the company’s fine furniture flame burning well into the future. And it appears that Hitchcock Chair agreed.

In March, Swenson and his business partner, Gary Hath of Canton, finalized their purchase of the company’s name, trademark, design plans and other business assets.

“They were very supportive of it,� Swenson said. “The most important thing, of course, is the trademark.�

Swenson — who has been restoring and refurbishing antique and collectable wooden furniture for more than 30 years — said the opportunity made sense on several levels, because the brand remains popular among lovers of fine furniture.

“There is still a large demand for this furniture, and if buyers can’t get it new, they want it restored,� he said.

Also, Swenson said with so many furniture companies manufacturing all or a large portion of their pieces outside of the United States, he felt it was important to keep Hitchcock a homegrown, high-quality and handcrafted product.

“Everything is 100 percent American made,� he said.

One of the key assets that Swenson and Hath obtained from Hitchcock was all of the company’s uncompleted furniture pieces.

“So now, we get the opportunity to build their unfinished stock,� said Swenson, a former longtime Winsted resident before he moved to Riverton three years ago. “And we have already started to assemble and finish those pieces.�

In addition, the Boston native said he is also exploring the possibility of reintroducing many of the company’s furniture designs from the 1950s, ’60s and ’70s.

“Many of their pieces during that time period were very unique and are very desirable. So, we are looking into introducing those designs back into the market,� Swenson said.

While he may someday offer his own original Hitchcock furniture designs, Swenson said that is something that most likely would not happen until further into the future.

In the meantime, he intends to carefully and skillfully restore the collectable and antique furniture pieces, as well as carry on the tradition and name of the Hitchcock Chair Company — right here in Riverton.

“It’s American, it’s folk art and it’s quality craftsmanship all wrapped up into one,� Swenson said of the Hichcock furniture appeal. “Everybody has got Hitchcock furniture in their past … and so people have an emotional attachment to this furniture — it’s more than a table or chair.�