Arte de Mexico expands but still relies on network of artisan families

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David Stoffers swings a massive door in the store his father Jerry launched four decades ago after falling in love with the craftsmanship on a trip to Mexico. (Bob Chamberlin / Los Angeles Times)

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A gold, hand-carved mirror covered in cherubs came from a church in Mexico City. In its reflection, customers peruse vases on the showroom floor. (Bob Chamberlin / Los Angeles Times)

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Custom lighting is one of Arte de Mexico’s specialties, with businesses such as Disneyland looking for unique lighting options. The company works with clients and creates in-house prototypes ... (Bob Chamberlin / Los Angeles Times)

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... then creates technical drawings for its artisans to follow. Once the hand-forged or handcarving work is complete, Arte de Mexico will wire and finish the light. A beaded chandelier lamp hangs indoors. (Bob Chamberlin / Los Angeles Times)

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More than 100 artisans from around the world work with Arte de Mexico to produce objects such as this hand-carved statue. (Bob Chamberlin / Los Angeles Times)

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The intricate work of the artists is what drew owner Jerry Stoffers to begin importing everything from sconces to cabinets from around the world. This pair of hand-carved mahogany doors with wrought iron detailing are from Tuscany. (Bob Chamberlin / Los Angeles Times)

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Pieces from Arte de Mexico are noted for their elegance and craftsmanship and attract all sorts of customers, including celebrities. (Bob Chamberlin / Los Angeles Times)

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“This is where you go to find something exotic, exceptional and different,” says owner Jerry Stoffers. “You can’t find these in Ikea.” (Bob Chamberlin / Los Angeles Times)

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A metal deer detail in an Arte de Mexico chandelier. (Bob Chamberlin / Los Angeles Times)

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Las Vegas casino/hotels the Venetian and Caesar’s Palace are also among Stoffer clients that have asked for handcrafted pieces. (Bob Chamberlin / Los Angeles Times)

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Different eras of pieces mix on the showroom floor at Arte de Mexico. Here, a Rosie the Riveter poster from the 1940s hangs behind a painted decorative table. (Bob Chamberlin / Los Angeles Times)

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Wrought iron andirons in a variety of styles at Arte de Mexico. (Bob Chamberlin / Los Angeles Times)

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Antique chairs line one wall of the showroom. (Bob Chamberlin / Los Angeles Times)

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Through Arte de Mexico, artisans continue to practice their craft and sell their items to a larger audience. (Bob Chamberlin / Los Angeles Times)

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With the expansion of the showroom from 200,000 square feet to 250,000, there’s more space to display items. Larger pieces — such as this wooden door with steel hinges — are displayed outside the showroom. (Bob Chamberlin / Los Angeles Times)

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Arte de Mexico is filled to the rafters with imported home decor items. (Bob Chamberlin / Los Angeles Times)

By Carren Jao

Aug. 5, 2014 12:55 PM PT

A dead-end street in North Hollywood is an unlikely place to find a mecca of handcrafted design, but it exists. Arte de Mexico’s North Hollywood showroom, open seven days a week, recently has expanded to about 250,000 square feet of space, up from 200,000.

Inside the labyrinthine warren of rooms are embellished wrought-iron chandeliers, intricately carved wooden doors from Indian palaces, even a carbon copy of the Resolute desk that sits in the Oval Office.

“This where you go to find something exotic, exceptional and different,” says owner Jerry Stoffers. “You can’t find these in Ikea.”

For more than 40 years, Arte de Mexico has been unobtrusively helping designers all over the world find or custom-make exquisite pieces of lighting, furnishings and décor that speak of Old World elegance and craftsmanship. The family-owned business has done work for celebrities such as Michael Jackson and Oprah Winfrey. Its handcrafted pieces grace hotels (“The Venetian, Caesar’s Palace, practically all the casinos in Las Vegas,” Stoffers says), university campuses, even amusement parks.

By marrying the fast-disappearing skills of artisan families around the world with efficiency and modern technology, Arte de Mexico eases the process of realizing the lavish designs for exacting clients.

The shop specializes in custom lighting, which makes up about half its business. Arte de Mexico creates prototypes in-house. Once the client is satisfied, the shop generates technical drawings, which are communicated to its network of artisans. After the hand-forging or handcarving is done, the lighting fixture will make its way back to Arte de Mexico’s shops to be wired and finished. The shop is currently working on wrought-iron lamps for USC as well as a large chandelier for Disneyland.

The same process applies for commissioned furniture.

Stoffers launched the business after leaving the U.S. Navy post-Vietnam. He took a trip to Mexico to “surf and flirt with girls” and chanced upon artisans in their workshop. Stoffers fell in love with their work. He subsequently rented a U-Haul trailer, drove it to Mexico and filled it with $300 worth of goods he purchased. Stoffers began selling the items on Hollywood Boulevard and met with continued success.

Arte de Mexico now employs about 80 people and works with more than 100 artisan families around the world. His son, David, has helped him run the company for three decades, but Stoffers says he has no plans to take a break. “I’ll stop when I drop dead. If you love what you do, it’s never work.”

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Arte de Mexico expands but still relies on network of artisan families

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