Evanstonia Antiques & Restorat

I gave Ziggy my father's tiger oak dresser with beveled glass mirror to restore. He refinished it and replaced the antique mirror with a cheap distorted one. When I called to speak to him about it he told me to "go to hell." I began posting reviews online, and on May 4, 2009, he showed up on my doorstep, uttering obscenities at me quietly with a smile on his face. The neighbors were out and he didn't want them to hear him. I reported him to the police. He is a fraud, and a creepy person.

Evanstonia does not offer European craftsmanship, but is just an ambitious fraud.I took in my grandfather's tiger oak dresser with beveled mirror. Ziggy replaced the beautiful old mirror with a cheap, distorted one, and refinished, not restored. When I called him to let him know I wanted my mirror, he told me to "Go to Hell." On May 4, 2009, he showed up at my front door, and said "you've been putting reviews on line." I said I had, and he called me names while speaking softly and smiling, because the neighbors were outside across the street. I reported him to the police. Shocking, but now not surprising from this person. Avoid Evanstonia for poor quality, absence of trustworthiness. Avoid this person's impulsive and erratic behavior.

Avoid Evanstonia and Ziggy. He is untrustworthy. He'll oversell his product trying to convince you it is something it is clearly not. When corrected he changes the subject. When coming to payment terms he'll agree then call two days later asking for more money. Ziggy tried to deceive me into believing there was another customer interested (I understand it's a sales technique but still unworthy of a supposed upscale place). After a few months, a piece I purchased developed an issue with the veneer (I bought multiple pieces). It took a month to have Ziggy come out to take a look (when I was purchasing, i.e. willing to give him money, he would be over that same day). He at first denied it was his workmanship (he can be defensive and petty), afterward, he agreed it was his work and proposed to fix it a week later. He never showed or called on the date and time agreed. When I called he made excuses and said he would be over the next day. Again, no show or call (mind you he lives 10 minutes ... Read more

I recently purchased a dining room table and six chairs from Ziggy at his Ravenswood location. I also purchased a buffet/bureau for my living room. Ziggy was very responsive when the payment process was unfolding (i.e. when I was in the process of paying him). Even though we agreed on terms he called days later asking for more money upfront than we agreed (he wanted to change the terms). He was also deceptive in trying to convince me that someone else wanted the chairs even though they sat in his store for months. Sales technique I'm aware but still poor service for a supposed upscale antique store. In terms of the quality of his work and professionalism ... I agree that it borders on "refinishing" not "restoring." An example, my dining room table is mid-century, it has developed some veneer weakness. I've been trying to get Ziggy over for 3 months to fix the issue (which I believe is minor). I have been given the run-around and some unpleasantness. Ziggy can be on one hand pleasant an... Read more