Farmhouse Remnants: a repurposing business inside a repurposed post office

BY SHAWN DIGITY (@DIGITYnodoubt)

CADIZ — Brian and Holly Cumberworth — you might be familiar with them already — are the owners of the small business Farmhouse Remnants. They used to be located on the corner of Warren and Main Streets but have since moved to a new location on West Market Street. The new site is a work in progress, though. Formerly an old post office, the Cumberworths bought the building — one that’s historical and well-traveled — after seeing the potential it held. And keep that concept in the back of your mind; the two business owners have made a living on actualizing the potential in furniture, old tools and equipment, utensils and appliances, wainscoting and tin roofing, and even a coin collection tray from an old soap dispenser.

And the new Farmhouse Remnants building, however, is a story all its own. As mentioned, it used to be a post office, and the recently revealed ornate coffered ceiling is apropos of the building’s former life. But that same space in another era was also a laundry mat.

Both of the building’s prior incarnations have given the Cumberworths unique challenges, and the deconstruction and reconstruction is still very much underway. But there have been some unique bonuses with the renovation, as well. The post office days left the beautifully crafted ceiling but also mahogany doors on the second story. And in a small-world moment, the Cumberworths were able to procure an antique sorting table that had been used in the post office years ago but had also been independently purchased by a third party they serendipitously crossed paths with.

The laundry mat left its mark, too. Walls had previously been lined with commercial washers and dryers, all of which had all been coin-operated. So Brian and Holly, during the laundry machine removal, were left with handfuls of quarters. “Quarters everywhere!” Holly exclaimed when detailing the process. And Brian added that they found “around $50 to $60 worth.” More so, the Cumberworths — with the help of their son, Nate — were able to add to that coin collection after dismantling a left-behind soap dispenser. But it was a double bonus for the family. Sure, there’s the monetary value of the quarters sitting in the tin collection tray, but there’s the potential of turning the tray into something new and exciting. Holly kept it; she saw its potential.

That’s the MO for Farmhouse Remnants: seeing the potential in the old and giving it new life. “Some pieces we’re not going to repurpose, we’ll bring it back to life. But we might not repurpose it totally, just clean them up because they’re beautiful pieces,” Holly emphasized. Holly and Brian both talked about the history of their passion project-turned-livelihood, and it’s been not only a labor of love but also one that paid the bills. “It was a way of life for us,” explained Holly.

The Cumberworths frequented various flea markets, shows, and exhibits, picking up new items with a bit of flair or selling the latest projects that had been finished. And they gained a lot of momentum in their days with their repurposed and upcycled pieces. Notably, they were stocked in department stores, like Macy’s and Harry & David, showcased on the Los Angeles Times’ front page, and became a favorite in Myrtle Beach. “We lived comfortably, [but] there were times when we left home with a few bucks with the promise of making a lot of bucks,” Brian stated. There were some gambles along the way, and both Brian and Holly agreed. “Hey, this [building] is a gamble,” Brian added. While both recognized they were rolling the dice on their newest venture, they were assured. The setting is different, but the mission is the same for Brian and Holly Cumberworth. They’ll fix up the old post office and laundry mat into Farmhouse Remnants, taking the old and making it new. Then they’ll take the remnants from the farmhouse, spruce them up, and give them new life, too.