New furniture co-op to join laid-off RV workers with Amish craftsmen

by Ed Ernstes (ernstes@wsbt.com)

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New furniture co-op to join laid-off RV workers with Amish craftsmen

Some Nappanee businesses and community leaders are planning a cooperative effort to market locally made Amish furniture, which would also provide jobs to laid-off RV workers. (WSBT photo)

By Beth Boehne

Story Created: Jul 24, 2008 at 2:48 PM EST

Story Updated: Jul 24, 2008 at 5:00 PM EST

NAPPANEE — Community leaders in Nappanee are trying to help some laid off RV workers get back to work by using their background in furniture building.

The idea began with a recent announcement that Liz's Furniture Shoppe would display items made by the Borkholder Furniture Company. It would be a cooperative arrangement.

“It's wonderful to be able to work together as retailers,” said Liz Mullett of Liz’s Furniture Shoppe.

Then the idea grew. Why not eventually make it a regional hub to showcase furniture made around the county, draw in Amish woodcrafters and non-Amish who were laid off from their RV jobs, and create the opportunity for them to build furniture and display it in one central area?

"Yeah, that's the exciting part of this venture — adding jobs to the community in a specific area, an area that Nappanee traditionally is really founded in, which is the woodworking tradition,” said Dwayne Borkholder of Borkholder Furniture Company.

“This is something we have considered for a long time,” said Larry Andrews with the Chamber of Commerce. “The layoffs in our community have recently brought it to a head."

They feel it could be a win-win situation to help revive the local economy, especially in the area of furniture making, and also put people back to work.

“With all the layoffs in the community, we need to think outside the box,” Mullett said.

“It’s not going to be a cure-all,” Borkholder said. “You've got to start small and you've got to start somewhere."

Part of the project would involve special training for Amish woodworkers and local companies to build and market their products.

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