The shop where the top brass go

All that glitters at Astro Chrome & Polishing Corp. isn’t necessarily gold. It could be antique brass or brushed nickel or oil-rubbed bronze.

Whatever finish they might be seeking, hundreds of savvy decorators, home renovators and car buffs start with Astro Chrome.

More than five decades old, the business -- known for masterfully stripping and replating everything from antique door hardware to car bumpers to ship anchors -- has never budged from its location on Erwin Street in Van Nuys. From the stainless steel countertops in the front office to the vats of swirling chemicals in the back, the place looks like a cross between Frankenstein’s lab and a swap meet brimming with vintage treasures.

Indeed, says owner Jesse Gonzalez, the tubs, sprayers and rustic hooks haven’t changed much since the day Bernie Zermeno, the previous owner, opened his doors in 1947.

Strewn on shelves, tables and floors in Astro Chrome’s warren of rooms are thousands of before-and-after items, from tarnished chandeliers to shiny door-hinge screws hanging from copper wire. Gonzalez and his 25-man crew have been known to tackle even ungainly barber chairs and antique soda machines.

Among the rusty lamps and andirons, one can spy a circa 1920 bathtub spout or a windshield frame from a 1929 roadster right next to a department store’s gigantic modernist metal handles.

Customers are drawn by word of mouth. Astro Chrome does not advertise, except in the Yellow Pages and on its decidedly unpolished website (www.astrochrome.com).

Replating is a costly and labor-intensive business that must constantly adjust to changing environmental regulations. Gonzalez said competition and habit keep him from raising prices.

“I can’t just say, ‘Yesterday it was $20 and now it’s $40.’ That wouldn’t be fair to my customers,” Gonzalez said. Astro Chrome charges $10 to strip and replate a brass door hinge (no matter how many times it has been painted over) and $50 to refinish and lacquer an old colander.

Dana Rae and Kathrine Clark, interior designers in Sherman Oaks, have long turned to Astro Chrome to satisfy exacting clients.

“A lot of times clients will find certain things they absolutely love, but the finish is wrong,” Rae said. “You can buy a gorgeous light from the ‘30s from a flea market for $50 and then spend $200 to have it replated, and you have a brand-new light for probably half to one-third the cost of a replica.”

Intricate chandeliers pose a particular challenge because they must be taken completely apart. To avoid reassembly guesswork, Gonzalez and his team take photos from every angle. In addition to the cleaning and replating, they put in new electrical wiring.

One recent morning, a steady stream of customers strolled into the shop to seek Gonzalez’s counsel or to admire his latest handiwork.

Behind the counters, dozens of signed celebrity mug shots attested to Gonzalez’s talents. “Your ‘shiny brass’ is the best,” wrote Frank Sinatra. Gonzalez, who was born in the Mexican state of Zacatecas and grew up in Guadalajara, has refurbished motorcycle parts for Jay Leno, antique door hinges for Ellen DeGeneres and plumbing fixtures for Arnold Schwarzenegger.

When Gonzalez, who is one of 11 children, arrived in Los Angeles three decades ago, his uncle, an Astro Chrome employee, invited him to the shop one rainy day.

“I started sweeping the floors and cleaning,” Gonzalez said. Zermeno, the owner, paid Gonzalez $20 for his work, and the young man promptly bought some jeans and a shirt. Gonzalez, who soon began learning the trade, said he quickly realized that “this is the land of opportunity.”

In 1981, when Zermeno decided to retire, Gonzalez bought the shop for $40,000. Ever since, Gonzalez has weathered the economic ups and downs. Business sank after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, and 2003 was “a terrible year.” So far, 2004 is looking a bit brighter.

Just like those Astro Chrome finishes that Rae, the designer, admires.

“To be able to make anything the finish you want makes a lot of clients happy,” Rae said. “Happy clients make happy designers.”