R E S T O R E
REV I V E REJUVENATE Written and Photographed by
Amy Benson
In college, I worked for an antique shop in Brooklyn. One thing you could count on was someone coming in and asking, “Do you know a little old farmer who sells architectural salvage?” The answer would always be, “You must mean Rudy.” Rudy is Rudy Rzeznikiewicz, a former dairy farmer and owner of Brooklyn Restoration Supply. Brooklyn Restoration Supply specializes in 18th and 19th century architectural materials, or as Rudy says, “old house parts.” Across the street from his home and the farm he grew up on (and worked full-time until about 15 years ago), are three buildings housing more than 50 years of items Rudy has accumulated. Two are former coops – one housing beams and wide plank board, the other mantles and doors on the first floor, and shutters, paneling, and moldings on the second floor. Rudy says with a smile that when he first started out, he thought, “I’ve got two buildings. I’m set for life.” He’s since added a third building
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CT Food & Farm / Fall 2016
