Two west coast used office furniture stores closed this year (Office Exchange and Altman Office Furniture). With a total of 65 years in business between them, both companies had weathered ups and downs in the economy before. However, the current deep, prolonged recession dried up the customer base in Eugene, OR and left both businesses without options.
It’s Always a Balancing Act
The used office furniture business is tricky. Some turnover is good; but you have to have a balance between companies liquidating their old office furniture (either by choice or necessity) and new companies starting up that need those low cost, high quality items. When everyone around you is going out of business, a dealer can pick up plenty of stock but is left with no one to sell it to.
How Are Things on the Home Front?
In San Diego, we are very fortunate to be in an area of the country that still has a strong and thriving business base. Companies here are feeling the pinch of a troubled economic environment, but they still need office furniture. Our refurbished and used items are very popular – especially for startups and small to mid-sized businesses that have a tight budget. Here’s a big ‘thank’ you to our customers who are keeping our business in business even in tough times. We also send our best wishes to the former owners and employees of Altman Office Furniture and Office Exchange that they may find brighter days ahead.
Did you know that there is a government agency whose sole responsibility is the procurement of workplace furnishings? The General Services Administration’s Integrated Workplace Acquisition Center (IWAC) does just that. GSA office furniture contracts are coveted by leading manufacturers all over the U.S. You can find Schedules online that list approved suppliers of cubicles for federal workplaces. These include well known names such as Trendway, Teknion, and Steelcase.
