Austin Lampworks put itself on the map in February 2024 by specializing in repairing, restoring, creating and selling vintage and antique lighting—from decades old chandeliers to beloved family heirlooms.
What they offer
While repairs are the store’s most popular service, Cameron McNabb said they also enjoy transforming sentimental items, such as a childhood stuffed animal or a grandfather’s golf clubs, into light fixtures.
“We really would like to expand the concept of what personalization or custom means,” Cameron McNabb said.
Cameron McNabb said they love seeing the joy on people’s faces when they can repair something beyond expectations.
She said they hope to keep the craft alive by passing the skills on to younger generations—including the couple’s son, Kevin.
“What we do is very personal to people,” Gary McNabb said. “It's one of a kind, unique or distinctive.”
Why it matters
With so many disposable products today, people often opt to throw things away to buy something new instead of refurbishing it to work “basically forever,” Gary McNabb said.
“A lot of things in here are far older than any of us,” Gary McNabb said. “They'll still be in use long after everyone we know is gone. And I think that's interesting. I think it's a connection to history.”
