After almost 20 years in Orcutt, Wil Schock, owner and furniture designer of Schock’s Furniture Crafters, is putting down his tools and walking away.
“Even after 25 years of designing furniture every day, I still love this job. I’ve been artistic all my life, into music, restoring antique cars and motorcycles. But designing allowed me to be spontaneous and original every single day. If I could, I would design for the rest of my life,” Schock said in a news release.
But, at the end of the day, the Internet did his business in, Schock said.
“In order to operate a brick-and-mortar retail business, you have to have inventory, display overhead, and many dozens if not hundreds of other ongoing costs that aren’t necessarily associated with a virtual store online,” Schock said
According to the release, thousands of customers have visited the design studio of Schock’s Furniture Crafters at 3385 Orcutt Road. Pictures of some of those customer’s adorn the walls at the furniture store, photos that people are welcome to come and pick up and take home, according to Schock.
While there, customers can make a final purchase from one of the many original pieces at Schock’s. As for the man himself, Shock said in the release that he’s not retiring. Instead, he’s going to forge a new path.
“I’ll be going back to school to learn a profession isolated from the globalization that seems to be eliminating so many American jobs these days,” he said. “Maybe business law.”
For more information, or to talk to Schock, call the showroom at 937-7271.
Biz Briefs is compiled by Sports Editor Sarah E. Thien. Information should be sent to the Sun via fax, e-mail, or mail.
This article appears in Jul 10-17, 2008.
