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SCHENECTADY
Mohawk Office Products latest victim of downturn

BY JAMES SCHLETT Gazette Reporter
Reach Gazette reporter James Schlett at 395-3040 or jschlett@dailygazette.net.

    Mohawk Office Products survived a devastating fire four years ago that destroyed its State Street headquarters, but the business will not make it through the economic downturn.
    The office furniture supplier plans to shut its doors permanently on Dec. 24, ending its 55-year presence in the city. However, Mohawk President Vincent Simoni said he plans to create a similar business elsewhere in the city.
    The closure comes just three years after Mohawk spent hundreds of thousands of dollars renovating a 20,000-square-foot State Street building, which houses its corporate offices, showroom and warehouse. The building is next to the site of the January 2004 fire that nearly wiped out the business.
    “It’s a difficult decision for us to come to terms with. … It’s just the current economic conditions,” Simoni said.
    Simoni plans to sell Mohawk’s recently renovated building at 908 State St., though he will hold on to the former firehouse he owns across the street. Mohawk currently employs seven people, and Simoni said he will try to retain some of them at the smaller company he plans to create.
    With a smaller work force and a facility lacking a showroom, Simoni believes Mohawk’s successor can stay afloat in the rough economy. He would not reveal the name or location of the new entity, though he said he will seek economic development aid from the city. He also expects to retain some of Mohawk’s customers.
    Highlighting the challenges Simoni faces, the Business and Institutional Furniture Manufacturers Association recently reported that U.S. office furniture shipments this year will fall 1.8 percent to $11.2 billion. The Grand Rapids, Mich., trade group expects the industry to slump even worse next year, with shipments declining 11.6 percent to $9.9 billion.
    Simoni’s father, John, ....................................................http://www.dailygazette.net/De.....amp;EntityId=Ar00404

I worked here in my younger years ... should have closed a long time ago, business was very slow.

Sorry they didn't make it, but I can't say I'm surprised.

I suspect that the downturn in the business is related to the location.  Despite the renovations after the fire, the area of State Street between Nott Terrace and Brandywine has degraded over the years.

It appears that the business owner may approach the Schenectady Metroplex to acquire funding to relocate to a better
location.  Will his business plans include creating jobs?  Is a business relocation a qualified basis for financial awards?

I wouldn't be surprised if Bethesda House placement has something to do with it too.

I have known the Simoni family since high school (30 years) and consider them friends.  I wish them the best in their future endeavors.