For generations of Ventura-area car enthusiasts, Mac’s Auto Upholstery has been more than a place to repair a worn seat or replace a tired interior. It has been a destination for craftsmanship – the kind of painstaking, hands-on work that has become increasingly rare.
At 89, Paul MacLaren is a true old-school craftsman, known for his meticulous work restoring and creating interiors for classic, antique and custom vehicles. His connection to the trade – and to Ventura – goes back more than a century.
Paul’s grandfather moved from Los Angeles to Ventura in 1912 and opened a canvas and auto shop, believed to have been near Santa Clara and California streets. In 1929, he moved the business to North Ventura Avenue, across from Avenue Hardware, where he continued working until his death in 1955…