My name is Ozgur Tumcelik. I am a violin maker and restorer who recently tried to open a small, quiet artisan workshop in Schaumburg, Illinois. My goal was simple: to restore violins, violas, and cellos by hand using traditional methods passed down for centuries.

There would be no noise, no machines, no foot traffic. Just one craftsman working in silence, preserving history and helping musicians keep their instruments alive.

But the Village of Schaumburg told me that this kind of work is not allowed anywhere in the zoning code. Not even with a special permit.

The only zoning districts where my work is technically permitted are B1 and B2, areas with extremely high rent, built for large retail or commercial chains. For an independent artisan like me, these spaces are simply not affordable or appropriate.

Meanwhile, in the same B3 zone where I was denied, other high-traffic and noisy businesses are permitted, including martial arts studios, nail salons, and even apiaries. Yet restoring a violin in silence is forbidden.

In Chicago, this work is considered part of the fine arts. Most violin restorers there operate in the historic Fine Arts Building, alongside musicians, writers, and painters. Why can’t Schaumburg make room for cultural preservation too?

This isn’t just about me. It’s about ensuring that cities and towns don’t exclude meaningful, low-impact, artistic work just because it doesn’t fit a checkbox on a form.

Please sign this petition if you believe that Schaumburg, a growing and vibrant community, should support artisan crafts, culture, and quiet beauty.

Help us make room for fine art in real life.

Thank you;

Ozgur Tumcelik

Violin Maker and Restorer