By Chad Koenen

Publisher

With a towering mountain of fabric and padding surrounding him, and the humming sound of a sewing machine in the background, longtime Henning business owner Glenn Scott carefully checks out the stitches on a unique piece of animal hide that made its way into his shop. Nearby, there are fairly common shades of suede that will be transformed into a seat cover, cloth patterns that could become a couch cushion and even some padding that stretches from the floor to the ceiling which will be used for other custom jobs in the near future.

All of these fairly common jobs have recently taken a back seat to a zebra hide that Scott is carefully transforming into a chair cushion. The old adage of measure twice and cut once, and in some cases measure a third time just to be sure, has never felt more true as his fingers carefully work up the edges of the unique hide. After more than 60 years in the industry, and 50 years in business, there isn’t much Scott hasn’t seen, or had the opportunity to work on through the years—until the next one-of-a-kind object is carried into the store of course.

“People have always asked me if I have enjoyed it and I always say, ‘if I haven’t I have been miserable the last 50 years,’” he said. “I just enjoy it. I don’t have any other skills I guess.”

In the age of throwing items away instead of fixing them, Scott seems to be of a dying breed who focuses on fixing and restoring items, as opposed to simply tossing them aside. Over the years he has worked on a wide variety of items that were transformed into chairs, blankets and rugs, as well as antique family furniture that have sentimental value far-beyond the actual value of the item. 

One of the more unique items has worked on in recent years, in addition to the zebra hide, was a speed boat that was featured in a James Bond movie. Scott said the exact boat he worked on was featured in one of the movies in the blockbuster movie series and is owned by an Iowa man who has ties to the Otter Tail County area. He has also worked on a rare Cutlass car, in which just a few of the collector vehicles are still known to exist, a pontoon interior in which half was in the Green Bay Packers colors and the other in the Minnesota Vikings colors, church pew cushions from Henning to Duluth and countless boat/pontoon covers. 

Known for his attention to detail and meticulous nature, Scott has his fingers in almost every item that comes through the door, whether he takes the lead on the project or turns it over to his right hand man of 27 years Don Jorgenson.

“If we are not proud of it when it goes out the door then it shouldn’t go out the door,” he said of their motto. 

Scott also gave credit to his family for their support throughout the years.

“I would not be successful without the support and encouragement of my wife Cindy and my daughters and stepsons. I would like to say thank you to my family and everybody that has supported me over all the years,” he said. 

  Even though he still has a passion for turning items that have seen their better days back into its pristine condition, Scott acknowledges that his days may be numbered at the business he has operated in Henning since 1986. Not for a lack of business, as Scott said he has enough work in his shop to last well into summer, but because father time rarely lets someone out of his grasp. After all, the 78-year-old has also driven school bus for over 50 years (starting in Pipestone in 1973) and is active in the community, long after many people his age have decided to hang up their work boots for flip flops and sun.

“I grew up on a farm so that’s where I got my work ethic,” said Scott of still driving bus and operating his business today.

After nearly 40 years in Henning, Scott said he doesn’t want to leave Henning without an upholstery shop, especially since he has seen how integral his business is to the overall community as people drive from far distances away to have him work on everything from everyday household furniture to family heirlooms and even zippers on a purse.

“I don’t want to leave the town or area without a shop and there is nothing to say I won’t be working until I’m 82 either,” he said.

Scott has tried to sell the business in the past, but for one reason or another, the sales fell through or never materialized. As a result, his sewing machine keeps humming for the time being as he hopes another individual or family will want to own their own business with about as much work available to them as they desire. 

“It would be a perfect opportunity for a parent or grandparent to set up their family members into business,” he said.

The longtime business owner said he would be willing to stay at the business for a while should a new owner be found for Scotty’s Upholstery. Otherwise, he is not sure how much longer he will keep working.

When he does finally unplug his sewing machine for the final time, Scott said he will miss having the opportunity to transform a broken or dilapidated item into a cherished product once again.

“I will miss new and old friends stopping in and the satisfaction of making something out of nothing,” he said. 

Scott plans to finish the work he has in his shop already and take some time off over the next few months. 

“Right now I have like six months worth of work in the back room,” he said. “I can’t envision I am going to shut the door completely and go fishing everyday.”

Scott began his business began in the Pipestone area in 1973 after attending Southern State College in Springfield, S.D. He graduated with a BS in vocational ed, majoring in upholstery. 

The family bought a cabin on East Battle Lake in 1983 and split time in the summer between lakes country near Henning and Pipestone. Since the weather always seemed to be the nicest when the family was heading back to Pipestone from their cabin each Sunday, the Scott’s began looking at the opportunity to move to the heart of lakes country full time. That meant a new start, but also the chance to relocate and spend more time in the Henning and Battle Lake areas.  

With the encouragement of people like Bill Goepferd, Herman Deckert and Lynn Dreyer, Scott moved his business to Henning in 1986. 

“I was looking at Battle Lake and Henning, but decided to come to Henning after talking to Battle Lake and Henning businesses,” he said. 

After a quick remodeling project at his downtown Henning building, where he is still located today, Scott opened up his new shop and quickly found a niche for his attention to detail and caring demeanor for all of the projects that came through his door.

The rest is, as the saying in the sewing industry may go, a perfect stitch as he has called the Henning community home for some 40 years.

Through all of the years, Scott said he wants to be remembered as an honest and fair business who has tried to treat all of his customers as friends.

While the end may be closer to a reality than the beginning, Scott said he is hoping someone will step forward and keep his business going in Henning for another generation. He is willing to work with a potential buyer and show them the ropes as part of a transition. Anyone who is interested in learning more about Scotty’s Upholstery or purchasing the business can contact him at (218) 583-2111 or stop by the shop at 406 Douglas Ave. in downtown Henning.

After all, with over 60 years of experience in the industry, Scott knows his business is a dying breed but one that still remains an integral part of everyday life. After all, who will fix a strap on a purse or put a snap on a jacket, work on a classic car or complete work on a pontoon interior if Scott wasn’t in town?