Companiesandme

I've recently been in search of a used desk and office chair for our office in Emeryville. What I found was a far more valuable--a timely and even critical lesson for the mounting debt and tough job market that we face today. 

I grew frustrated after spending hours searching Craigslist, both of searching for used office furniture, and hearing that I should just go to Ikea, which is walking distance away. But I didn't want to contribute to buying more of what is arguably throwaway furniture. The Chronicle featured an article last week celebrating how hot "upcycling" is. What we commonly know as recycling is really "downcycling," when materials are torn down and repurposed, requiring that the product be manufactured all over again, and must often be thrown out after that. 

Just about as my frustration level peaked, I saw a Ford pickup truck turned into a billboard on 7th Street in Berkeley, advertising used office furniture. The letters weren't perfectly aligned, but it was functional, much like the desk and chair that I had in mind.

Perspectives as different as the shopping experience

What I found hidden away from the 7th Street traffic was very different than the Ikea-like experience we've come to expect of a purchasing experience--in place of the typical efficiency and sterility, was the passion, personality, and even disorganization that today's better known retailers have stripped away. 

The cavernous Berkeley Outlet warehouse is stacked ceiling high with relics of an era of near-indestructible quality. Paul, Berkeley Outlet's owner (pictured above), bought the building when business was booming. And the outlet has made a living for himself, his partner Kjersten, and Ben (pictured left), his only employee (of 24 years). His business, and the products inside it were built to last.

By investing for the long haul, instead of leveraging his business for quick success (or failure), he's been able to keep his business going while slowing down in recent years. When people who know him have office furniture to offload, he takes it and turns it around. But he's not out looking for it, like he used to. 

I'm surrounded by entrepreneurs, but none has bought their office building. Perhaps this is a result of the virtual or digital nature of much of our work today, or of simply overextending ourselves and our businesses to keep up.

Everything ends up in a landfill, even us

Paul left me with one last comment, as I hurried to my next appointment. "Everything ends up in a landfill," he said, "even us."

He didn't quite say it, but I left wondering. In our throwaway culture, are we building throwaway businesses, as well?