Gibbard Furniture sales have declined dramatically

Tag : furniture
 After a futile 15-month search for a buyer, GibbardFurniture, one of Canada's oldest furniture factories, will insteadclose its doors.
``It's been a long time coming,' said an emotional Bruce McPherson,Sr.
``There've been a lot of good years and a lot of bad years, but thelast few years have not been good.'
The McPherson family has owned Gibbard Furniture since 1940, whenBruce McPherson's father, Jack, a former Gibbard sales manager,bought the factory.
McPherson currently runs the business with his three sons.
The search for a new owner started in June 2007, when the familyannounced the business was up for sale. It was felt that a changewas needed to rejuvenate the firm's declining sales and marketing.
The family was determined to keep the company Canadian-owned.
``We need some new blood, some new ownership because we just don'thave the passion that we once did,' the senior McPherson said atthe time.
On Friday, McPherson said that despite the fact ``we had a lot ofinterest' from prospective buyers, he and his sons just neverreceived the right offer.
The plant's 80 workers were told Friday of the decision to shutdown, McPherson said. The layoffs will be staggered over severalmonths until the last of the furniture orders has been filled.
``There was a lot of emotion,' he said. ``There are a lot of oldtimers who have been here for a long time.'
McPherson said he has no idea when the company will ceaseoperating, and he expects they will be manufacturing ``well intothe new year.'
The company was founded in 1835 by John Gibbard, a Canadian-borncabinet-maker who leased a mill on a canal that still runs throughthe property.
In its early days, the factory was known as the Gibbard CabinetShop and manufactured doors, coffins and furniture.
The old mill burned down in 1864 and was rebuilt on a larger scalefour years later.
A second fire ravaged the business in 1974 but the plant wasrebuilt in less than a year.
Gibbard is best known for its traditional, heirloom furniture. Oneof the company's customers is the federal government, which hasdecorated numerous embassies with Gibbard's signature mahogany andcherry furniture.
In recent years, the company's sales have declined dramatically.The McPherson's blamed the slump on the strong Canadian dollar andcompetition from overseas companies.
(Kingston Whig-Standard)
Copyright 2008 The Canadian Press
Provider:
Canadian Press / Canadian Press (delayed)
Keywords:
Consumer Products & Services , Americas , North America , Home Furnishings & Home D