Bicyclette Furniture owner Brian Christopher sits amongst his creations in the business’s new showroom at 78 Main St. in Wiscasset on Thursday, July 11. Christopher opened the showroom to the public on July 4. (Piper Pavelich photo)
A comforting aesthetic, the familiar scent of wood, and the story of one man’s passion for creating await visitors at Bicyclette Furniture’s new showroom at 78 Main St. in Wiscasset.
Bicyclette Furniture is owned by Philadelphia-native Brian Christopher, who started the business nearly eight years ago.
The Wiscasset showroom officially opened to visitors on July 4. The business offers pieces such as side tables, desks, bed frames, and whatever else Christopher thinks up. He often uses leftover wood and leather scraps to create smaller, limited-time items, such as step stools.
Opening a showroom in Wiscasset happened by chance, said Christopher. He and his wife were looking at properties in Portland, but decided on the Main Street location after a friend pointed out the building’s vacancy.
With the idea of moving to a coastal yet rural area at the front of their minds, the craftsman and his wife moved to Arrowsic nearly three and a half years ago. Both lived in city settings for “as long as they could remember,” said Christopher, and a change in scenery is just what they were looking for.
The area’s art and food scene was enticing to the pair, and memories of visiting New England in his youth pushed Christopher to make the move, he said.
Bicyclette Furniture, at 78 Main St. in Wiscasset. The showroom is open from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Thursday through Saturday. (Piper Pavelich photo)
The furniture business moved with him, with its home base shifting from Philadelphia, Pa. to Brunswick.
Along with two full-time employees at his shop in Brunswick, Christopher builds the furniture he sells. With the multitude of items available to consumers, pricing can range anywhere from $1,000 to $10,000.
Christopher’s interest in woodworking began when he was nearly 26 years old, he said. At the time, he was putting his art history degree to work in the contemporary art world, but was looking for a venture that would bring him fulfillment, he said.
“As soon as I got into it, I was like, ‘Duh. This is what I’ll be doing for the rest of my life,’” said Christopher.
What began as a hobby carving spoons, cutting boards, bowls, and other items quickly turned into a small business, with Christopher selling the items to stores across the country.
“I think I read an article about a woodworker in New York … It was just like, ‘God, that sounds way more fun than what I’m doing,’” he said.
His interest quickly shifted to working with wood on a larger scale, making furniture.
While he did consider going to school to learn more about his newfound passion, Christopher decided against it and taught himself everything he knows. Over the years, he’s taken on any work he could to develop his skills.
Christopher said he has to learn to roll with the punches, as running a business in an ever-changing industry can be difficult.
“You think you have the answers to all the questions and understand the flow of the busy times, and it’s just constantly changing, proving you wrong,” he said. “When you’re busy, it’s great, and when you’re slow … You start to question your work. You start to question the quality of your work, and that can be a slippery slope.”
Although giving up can sound easier, Christopher said even negative feelings can be used as motivation to continue learning and improving.
“You can go down, get a little dark and worried, and you can either just quit or you can be like, ‘Well, maybe I need to try something a little new.’ So, that’s kind of a necessary evil. I think adversity sort of drives creation,” he said,
Christopher and his wife have felt nothing but welcome since moving to Maine, he said, and he hopes to pass that feeling on to customers that walk through the door of the Wiscasset showroom.
Bicyclette Furniture’s Wiscasset showroom is open from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Thursday through Saturday and by appointment.
For more information, call 610-476-5944, email brian@bicyclettefurniture.com, go to bicyclettefurniture.com, or find the business on Instagram.
