Tesoro’s History

Introducing Rudy Rodriguez

Growing up, my parents owned their own businesses, so I guess you could say doing my own thing comes naturally to me. My dad was a photographer and had a studio on the north side of Chicago for over 40 years. I spent a lot of time traveling with him to flea markets to pick out interesting items for props. That’s where my love of both traveling and finding the perfect vintage pieces was born. 

Turning Houses into Homes

In my twenties, I worked in sales for a large furniture company. I quickly learned that my absolute favorite part of the job was helping clients choose the right elements for their homes and ended up essentially becoming an interior designer. Working with folks to turn their houses, lofts, and condos into homes made it clear to me that I needed to be doing this full-time. So I started traveling the country in my free time, in search of those rare pieces, growing my own collection. On March 13, 2018, Tesoro Casegoods & Oddities became my full-time focus and I set up shop in the East Village. Exactly one year later, I moved to the current location, in the heart of Highland Park.

Vintage Furniture Obsession

I live and breathe vintage furniture. I can’t see myself doing anything else. I also can’t sit down to watch a movie without inevitably spotting the corner of a chair and having to blurt out the exact time period it’s from and who the designer or manufacturer was. I’ve been called obsessed and maybe I am, but I’m okay with that. I wake up excited each day because I get to do what I love and share it with my clients. 

Tesoro Origins

When I first started collecting and selling furniture out of my apartment, people would often come in and say, “Look at all these treasures!” The word “tesoro” is Spanish for “treasure,” so of course it had to be the name of the business.

Additional Services

Mid Mod Iowa & Des Moines Area Furniture

In my “free” time, I’m a proud board member of Mid Mod Iowa, an annual celebration of all things mid-century modern, including a home tour, shop showcase, and musical celebration. I’m also an admin for the largest Facebook furniture group in Iowa, Des Moines Furniture Sale & Swap. With over 10,000 members, this group is a powerful network of neighbors helping find, buy, sell, or swap furniture. ​

Estate Sales

An additional service I offer is coordinating and managing estate sales. These can be incredibly difficult for a family member to put together on their own and I’m happy to step in and offer my expertise. I also provide a large following to help promote them. ​

Contact Us

Our shop is open Friday through Sunday, from noon to 6pm, but go ahead and shoot us a message if you’d like to schedule a private showing or talk about finding that one-of-a-kind piece.

9 + 8 =

Address

617 Euclid Ave
Des Moines, Iowa 50313

Hours

Friday - Sunday: 12pm - 6pm

Phone

(515)318-3090

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