Many around the city are bound to their cars and the very idea of sending it to a scrap yard can be daunting. Rather than dumping old scrap car pieces, car enthusiast and designer Reggie Mabuya thought past the scrapyard to help others keep memories alive by creating Bloemfontein’s very first automotive furniture store.
“The vision is to create timeless pieces that can never be replaced, the pieces must represent a lifelong story on their own,” said Mabuya.
Looking into forms of upscaling what could be considered drab, the automotive furniture store focuses on turning materials such as engines, gearboxes, cranks and rims into tables, wine racks, and bathroom sinks. Mabuya created his business and aims to not only appease the motorsport or car enthusiast market but to expand a vision he had from a young age.
“I think I have always been an artist from a young age. I used to design small things such as cars made from hangers and other scrap material and I knew that when I grew older I’d start working on my designs in one way or another,” said Mabuya.
His business, Raw and Rough Automotive Furniture and Creations, is a dynamic and innovative business that offers furniture pieces that are made out of recycled car materials. It was born during the pandemic. “During 2020, someone came from Cape Town and was selling barrels because they did not know what to do with them, I then proceeded to buy them and then I began creating wood furniture using that. I gradually went into metal work and I have since ventured further into creating coffee tables from rims, engine blocks and many more car parts that carry weight,” said Mabuya.
“We try to picture what people have in their homes and work towards creating those pieces from scrap and car parts. We have beds, coffee tables, basins, and much more,” said Mabuya. “I hope that further down the line I can move into exhibiting my work on a larger scale such as expo’s and various other opportunities. Furthermore I hope to move into the international scene and further expand the brand,” said Mabuya.
The store will be hosting their grand opening on 4 March, inviting the people of Bloemfontein.
“We would like many people to attend in their numbers, to see for themselves what automotive furniture is about and perhaps down the line, create custom pieces that are catered to them,” said Mabuya. For more information contact Mabuya at 083 252 2906.
Bonolo Moloi
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