Busy Upholstery Shop Calls Main Street Home

Michael Ciborowski, owner of Sew-Fine Upholstery at 500 Main St., Middletown, has 35 years experience in the industry. Ciborowski is proud that each piece of work is inspected and approved by him, before it goes to the customer.

Ciborowski started Sew-Fine 34 years ago on Long Island, N.Y. “I went to work for a friend and enjoyed it. I was doing side work and going to college and either I would have trouble finishing a job on time for a client or I would be behind in my college work. I had to make a decision and so I left college and started my business. I don’t regret that decision," he explained.

When his daughter was born, Ciborowski wanted to move where there would be a better quality of life. In 2000, he opened Sew-Fine on Main Street and in 2003 he bought the building. “In 2005, the Design Center in Hartford asked us to be their in-house upholsterers and we moved to Hartford,” he said.

When their lease in Hartford was up in 2009, Sew-Fine came right back to the Forest City. “I missed Middletown. It was too far to commute and I felt this is where we should be. It’s home for us,”Ciborowski said.

Although the main part of Sew-Fine’s business is custom reupholstering, they do so much more than reupholstering furniture. They specialize in antique restoration, making custom-built furniture, custom draperies, curtains, swags and cornices and automotive and boat upholstery.

Honey Collins, Design Source CT and Mike Fogg are a few of Ciborowski's favorite designers.

This very busy place keeps its five employees, who combined have more than 100 years of upholstering experience, going all the time. This owner readily admits that his office manager Bessie Bianco “runs the place.” Bianco graduated from Brandeis Univeristy with a degree in international relations and communications. In fact, she was selling hot dogs from a cart when someone made her aware of this position.

“I give Mike a schedule of what to do each day. The hardest thing is prioritizing. There is so much going on here. We have so much work,” said Bianco. “I really like that it is busy and there is always something to do.”

Ciborowski says that even with the many economic downturns in the 34-year history of Sew-Fine, he has never run out of work.

Click here and here to see his quality craftsmanship.

For information, call (860) 347-2300.