Upper Jay Arts Center: The Recovery Lounge

In which a former car factory has become part of the Ausable Valley cultural scene

If you’ve always wanted to catch a show in a former Model T factory that’s an upholstery shop by day, well, you’re in luck: Welcome to the Recovery Lounge. The owners, brothers Scott and Byron Renderer, moved their upholstery shop into the building around 2000, and started hosting an eclectic mix of theater and music not long after. As for that name, the brothers Renderer have offered several reasons: Art helps people recover from daily stresses. There’s a psychologist on the third floor. And upholstery - re-covering furniture, get it? Both accomplished artists, Scott an actor and Byron a musician and painter, their lounge is a true piece of found art that is a bit of a local treasure.

At a glance
  • Take a seat on one of the antique pieces pulled to the middle of the shop.
  • Building listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2013
  • Keep an eye out for the January Jams, open mic afternoons held Sundays.