Organized Living is Reborn Through Schulte Corporation
A new organizing superstore has been re-born. Schulte has purchased the defunct Organized Living website and made it their own. Super!
The Organized Living (see old picture, below, right) chain expanded operations in 2004 with a failing strategy-- too much expansion, with too many bills. We mourned the day the Grove location in Los Angeles closed. It was a Professional Organizer's paradise with wonderful products, a fun staff, and an extraordinarily supportive general manager.
A year after Organized Living filed for Chapter 11, their biggest supplier of closet and garage systems (and 12-year old vendor) was owed over $750,000.
But Schulte Corporation saw value in the Organized Living name, and purchased the website. The company now combines their expertise with the retail experience of Organized Living, and offers consumers storage solutions beyond the closet.
The new Organized Living includes an eCommerce Web site along with an upcoming Cincinnati-based 9,000 square foot Design Center and a separate Retail Store. The two locations open summer, 2007.
No firm news yet, but talk is that the company hopes to open 25 stores. Might they be wanting to compete with Container Store, Organize.com, Stack and Stacks, Lillian Vernon and Organizes-It? Gosh we're getting a headache listing all this competition. With all these choices, why aren't we more organized? Hmmmm?
We invite you to add your thoughts.
Source: Organized Living and Cincinnati Business Courier
I worked for Organized Living under the management team that was founded in 2004. OL had a great vision and concept, I was disppointed to see the company file bankruptcy. However, I find it exciting to see Schulte re-inventing Organized Living and begin "new" operations in the Midwest. I look forward to visiting the new store in Cincinnati and I hope to be a soon customer!
Posted by: Jessica Hart | May 27, 2007 at 03:27 PM
I was employee for five years, starting in 2000 through the major growth that we had. I was so sad to see the bankruptcy and styed until the bitter end. I would still be employed with Organized Living today, if the bankruptcy wouldn't have happened. The real estate location in Pasadena, California, still is vacant. Thank you to John Trosko,( above) for this great article. I look forward to the hopes for expansion again!
Posted by: Bill Pedrotti | March 08, 2008 at 08:53 AM
Had organized living 2 blocks away at the Grove and agree that there was nothing like it for the amatuer interior decorator builder. And of course all the crapy stores are still around. Thanks for the updated information
Posted by: Jim | March 20, 2008 at 07:11 PM