PRESS 
Vintage Made Modern
Meet Melody Kratz of Studio 8 in Oak Park
Today we’d like to introduce you to Melody Kratz.
So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
I have always been an artist. Mostly creating what I couldn’t afford. Paintings, furniture etc. For as long as I can remember, I’ve had clear images of art I wanted and furniture design I loved. When I lived in Memphis, I worked for a high end painted furniture designer after I graduated college.
All in Your Business: Studio 8 Gives New Life to Old Treasures
The giant octopus on the Studio 8 sign tells shoppers that they’re in for something unique. Oak Park’s newest vintage shop features upcycled, repurposed, refinished, refurbished, or fine-the-way-they-are furnishings and décor.
“ To me, it’s all about lines,” says Melody Kratz, Studio 8’s owner. “If the piece is scratched, I can refinish it. If something is broken, I can fix or rebuild it. These pieces have history and soul to them. Everything here is perfectly imperfect.”
On: Move to Forest Park
It’s tempting to call Studio 8 an antique store. “Not so,” said Melody Kratz, owner. She prefers “vintage made modern” to describe what customers will find when they first walk into her new shop, which she plans to open in Forest Park in February after a move from Oak Park.
“We are absolutely thrilled to be part of Forest Park,” Kratz said, adding: “I love the idea of being part of a community of other shops similar to ours and having a vested interest in the town.”