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Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams to reopen factory after finding new owner

This May 8, 2014 file photo shows a Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams bag from the celebration of their 25th anniversary and the grand opening of their newest flagship store in Beverly Hills, California.
Alexandra Wyman
/
Invision via AP
Georgia-based Surya, which is acquiring Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams, said it will reopen the Taylorsville plant and expects to begin shipping furniture in the first quarter of 2024.

A Georgia home furnishings company is buying Taylorsville-based Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams. The furniture maker abruptly closed its factories and stores in August, and then filed for bankruptcy.

In a statement, Surya said it “will reintroduce the brand as a trade-only partner, accessible to leading interior designers and design-driven retailers. Classic MG+BW designs and quality will be preserved and celebrated under Surya’s stewardship.”

Company co-founder and namesake Mitchell Gold said he supports the purchase and will serve as an advisor to Surya’s leadership.

“I now see a promising next chapter for the brand we built over 30 years," Gold said in a statement. "Surya’s deep understanding of the market, alignment with our design philosophy, and proven track record to drive future success creates a winning formula. I am enthusiastic about supporting them in any way I can."

Surya said it will reopen the Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams factory in Taylorsville, which employed about 700 people before it closed in August. A sign posted on the gate read, "Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams has recently and unexpectedly learned that we are unable to continue business operations."

In a bankruptcy petition filed in September, the company said it shut down after it failed to receive promised funding from PNC Bank. Twenty-five retail stores in the U.S. and Canada also closed.

The Taylorsville plant will re-open, and Surya said it expects to begin shipping furniture in the first quarter of 2024. It’s not clear how many workers will be rehired.

Bradley George is WUNC's AM reporter. A North Carolina native, his public radio career has taken him to Atlanta, Birmingham, Nashville and most recently WUSF in Tampa. While there, he reported on the COVID-19 pandemic and was part of the station's Murrow award winning coverage of the 2020 election. Along the way, he has reported for NPR, Marketplace, The Takeaway, and the BBC World Service. Bradley is a graduate of Guilford College, where he majored in Theatre and German.
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