Acme Upholstery in Chattanooga: Full-Scale Fabric and Frame Work for Residential and Commercial Pieces
Acme Upholstery is a full-service reupholstery shop handling everything from dining chairs and sofas to custom commercial seating, operating from a single location with in-house fabric selection and frame repair.
What Acme Upholstery actually is
Acme Upholstery operates as a traditional upholstery workroom rather than a showroom or design consultation service. The business strips, rebuilds, and reupholsters furniture, meaning it accepts pieces customers already own and transforms the covering, padding, and sometimes the frame structure. The shop serves both residential clients refreshing inherited or thrift-store furniture and commercial clients furnishing offices, restaurants, and hospitality spaces. Work happens on-site; customers drop off pieces and return for pickup once the job is complete.
Services and pricing
Acme prices by the piece rather than hourly rate, with costs determined during an in-person estimate. A basic dining chair typically runs $150 to $300 depending on fabric choice and frame condition. A standard sofa or sectional ranges from $800 to $2,500, again varying by fabric grade, cushion replacement needs, and any frame repairs required. Ottoman reupholstery generally falls between $200 and $600. The shop offers three fabric tiers: basic (under $15 per yard), mid-range ($15 to $40 per yard), and premium or specialty fabrics (above $40 per yard). Customers may bring their own fabric, though Acme charges a separate material fee if it is not sourced through the shop. Spring replacement, cushion rebuilding, and frame reinforcement are billed as add-ons to the base reupholstery cost. Turnaround typically ranges from four to eight weeks depending on current workload; confirm current wait times before committing.
How it compares to other Chattanooga upholstery options
Acme positions itself as the generalist workshop in Chattanooga's reupholstery market. For lower-budget work on single chairs or small pieces, independent upholsterers operating from home studios often undercut Acme's pricing by 15 to 20 percent, though they may not offer the same range of fabric selection or the ability to handle larger commercial jobs simultaneously. For high-end or designer-led reupholstery with custom detailing, Chattanooga has boutique upholsterers who charge premium rates (often 30 to 50 percent above Acme) but include design consultation and often source vintage or imported fabrics as part of their service. Choose Acme if you have multiple pieces, need reliable turnaround on residential and light commercial work, want straightforward pricing without design fees, and prefer a fabric library on-site. Choose a smaller independent if your piece is simple and budget-conscious. Choose a boutique upholsterer if you are furnishing a high-end residential project or commercial space where design direction and material sourcing are part of the value.
Who it suits and who it does not suit
Acme works well for homeowners with inherited or thrifted furniture that needs structural soundness and a fresh look at mid-market pricing. It suits small commercial clients, law offices, and restaurants that need ten to fifty chairs reupholstered on a set timeline. The shop is less ideal for customers wanting design collaboration, color matching from swatches, or pressure to complete work in under three weeks. It does not handle leather work or specialty finishes like hand-painting or embroidery; those require specialized upholsterers elsewhere. Acme is not suited to customers who have already purchased fabric and expect the upholsterer to work only with that material at no added cost.
What the first visit involves
Call or visit in person with photos of the piece or bring the piece itself if it is portable. The shop will inspect the frame for damage, test springs and padding, assess whether the piece requires cushion replacement or frame reinforcement, and show you fabric samples in the price tier you indicate. You will receive a written estimate within one to two business days. Once you approve the estimate and leave a deposit (typically 30 to 50 percent of the total), the shop schedules your piece into the queue. You will receive a call when work is complete and invoiced for the remainder before pickup.
Hours, parking, and logistics
Acme operates Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., with Saturday hours from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Street parking is available directly outside the shop. For pieces too large to fit in a personal vehicle, the shop offers delivery and pickup services within the Chattanooga area for a fee starting at $50 each direction; confirm this cost at estimate. Delivery outside the immediate area is possible but requires a quote based on distance.
Acme fills a practical gap in Chattanooga's home furnishing landscape, offering transparent pricing and real craftsmanship without the markup of design services or the wait times of heavily booked boutiques.
