October 2015 Customer Creations Gallery Jacksonville, FL

The Bostwick building, at the corner of Ocean and Bay, is one of downtown Jacksonville, Florida’s most visible historic buildings. It was constructed in 1902, one of the first permitted structures built after the Great Fire. Sporting typical “big bank” architecture, it hosted a succession of failed banks through the boom and bust cycles of the early 20th century. A…

At long last, the Eco Relics shop is operational! Doug “the Termite” has moved in and is now constructing custom builds on-site rather than at his home shop. The sawdust is flying, but many details are still sorting themselves out. The Termite says, “It’s not down to a science yet.” The final layout of tools and work stations will be…

What is the difference between an artist and a craftsperson? That is the question I contemplated when I started thinking about the Fabrications Crew here at the Eco Relics architectural salvage warehouse. As it turns out, most of our fabricators would probably consider themselves both artists and craftspeople. Outside of work they paint, draw, and sculpt. They bring that creativity…

A Very Short History of Signage Merchants and tradespeople have used signs to advertise their services for at least 5,000 years. Symbols, rather than writing, was the preferred method to communicate to potential buyers before widespread literacy. In ancient Rome, a bush of ivy and vines engraved in stone or terra cotta indicated a tavern. Besides directing thirsty patrons to…

A few months ago I told my wife I’d build us a proper dining room table so we can stop eating off TV trays. We had a nice 5 panel door leftover from our remodel (a two year odyssey) that seemed like a good candidate for a table top. All I would need to do is make legs. We decided…

January is national hobby month, a time to acknowledge our interests that fall outside of our professions. Leisure time was once the exclusive province of the upper class after the Industrial Revolution, clock time, and electric lights dramatically changed most people’s relationship with work. For over a century laborers fought to reduce the length of their workday, which could range…

*This article originally appeared in August 2016 and contains updated material. You know the old saying, “One person’s trash is another person’s treasure.” It might as well be the Code of Hammurabi at Eco Relics. If it can be reused, recycled, or repurposed, it’s not trash! The crew takes great pride in the length of time between visits from the…

While sorting and organizing the vast vinyl collection at the Eco Relics architectural salvage warehouse, I came across several records produced right here in Jacksonville. While our fair city might not have the musical reputation of New Orleans, Austin, or Nashville, the truth is that Jacksonville has played a very important part in America’s musical history.   Ashley Street might…

How deep are the roots of the ubiquitous Christmas album? Well, that depends on how deep you want to dig. Carols written in the vernacular date back to the 13th century in England but singing them was banned by an Act of Parliament in 1647. The act was rescinded by the royal restoration of the Stuarts in 1660, when King…

There is just something incredible about walking through an antique furniture shop in Jacksonville. Here are Eco Relics, we have been excited to grow our selection of antiques. We have had the chance to find some incredible treasures in our search. How Old Does Something Have to Be to Be Considered an Antique? When it comes to most things, the…

Preservation and Salvage in Jacksonville, Florida After 6,000 years of human habitation, only a tiny fraction of Jacksonville’s historic buildings survive. The pole and palm-thatch buildings constructed by Mocama Indians are long gone, of course. The mysterious Fort Caroline, Jacksonville’s first European settlement, has never been located. The Kingsley Plantation house, built around 1800, is probably the oldest surviving structure…

Our custom craftsmen in the wood shop, are always looking for creative ways to use live edge cookie slabs, and when Billy was approached by a customer with a different idea, he knew he could count on Roni Luebkert of RL Pyrography to help with this Cookie Slab Table With Pyrography And Paint Design project. (Click here to see another…

Thanks to our custom wood shop, Eco Relics gets to work with some of Jacksonville’s greatest small businesses. The sawdust is flying, but many details are still sorting themselves out. The Termite says, “It’s not down to a science yet.” The final layout of tools and work stations will be determined as he gets a better idea of work flow on…

Reclaimed Lumber and Salvage *This page has been updated from it’s original publication on April 29, 2016 Reclaimed lumber and salvage are perfect building materials for projects like cabinetry, flooring, furniture, architectural details, and more. From seed to sawdust, every tree product can be reused, recycled, or repurposed. Old wood welcomes the eye with warmth, draws the mind’s attention with…

If you are in the market for antique electronics in Jacksonville, then Eco Relics is the place to go. We have been able to acquire quite a bit of vintage items and salvage materials over the last year. When we first started out with this business, we had no idea how big it could grow. Our Passion For Jacksonville The…