JAMESTOWN, N.Y. (WKBW) — "A great loss" is how one Jamestown resident is describing the sudden closure of the Bush Industries plant last week. However, other residents say it's part of a worsening trend for the state.
On Thursday, WKBW learned from Chautauqua County Executive PJ Wendel that eSolutions Furniture, formerly known as Bush Industries) was dissolving the company and closing its Jamestown furniture plant. A plant that has been in the area since 1959.
"Unfortunately, despite our repeated and best efforts, we were unable to provide the level and type of assistance to prevent this unfortunate outcome," Wendel said in a release.
According to Wendel, an estimated 230+ workers are currently employed at the Jamestown facility. He said the issues it faces stem from "internal business-wide decisions and broader economic factors, forces, and uncertainties."
"It's such a great loss," Janize Kelly Vanord said. "It's taking away jobs from our local people. I like to support everything local that I can, and I just think it's a shame."
WATCH: 'A great loss': Residents disheartened by sudden Jamestown furniture plant closure
Colby Lawson, a former employee of Bush Industries, echoed the sentiment.
"A lot of people used to work there, a lot of people are out of work," Lawson said. "It's never good when places are closed, people lose their jobs, and it's just not good."
Lawson wasn't the only former employee to speak out following the closure.
"The company has provided employment opportunities for thousands of area residents," county leaders said in their statement on Thursday.
On social media, former employees shared their feelings.
WATCH: eSolutions Furniture dissolving the company and closing Jamestown plant
"Spent from 18 to 25, I worked there," a user commented on WKBW's initial reporting. "Lots of overtime, not bad pay for what I was. I was an operator in manufacturing. I still think about these days of my life. The friends that turned into more like family, I've missed. Wish it could have been different, and it was like the power house it once was."
Another user wrote, "It was fun working there with everyone, that’s for sure."
Another commented, "Bush gave me a job when I needed one, they treated me very well."
In a company statement, eSolutions states, "financial position has worsened significantly since 2021." The release continued, "The business has faced additional pressure since 2024 due to the imposition of tariffs by the U.S. government, post-pandemic reductions in consumer demand, increased competition from offshore competitors, and ongoing cash constraints."
eSolutions is just the latest company to shutter its doors in the Jamestown area. And the closure is a sight all too familiar to Marsha Nourse.
"I worked for a Truck-Lite for 21 years. They're gone." Nourse told WKBW. Truck-Lite closed its Falconer facility in January 2020. "I was in the same situation that Bush Industries was in. Because they don't wanna pay the state wages."
"I think that our governments, both the state and the federal, should be doing something about this," Nourse said,
"It's pretty sad, and I can understand why people would want to leave New York State because the businesses aren't there. A large part of it is New York State business, the situation. It's not business-friendly," Nourse said.
In the county's statement, they added that, "The CCIDA and County vow to do all they can to try to resurrect the business and/or find a new tenant for the Mason Drive facility."
READ CHAUTAUQUA COUNTY'S FULL STATEMENT BELOW:
We are very disheartened regarding the recent announcement by eSolutions Furniture, formerly Bush Industries, that communicated they are dissolving the company resulting in the closing of their Jamestown furniture plant in the Town of Ellicott. The County of Chautauqua Industrial Development Agency (CCIDA) has been aware of the major challenges facing the business, and has been working proactively with them for nearly a year trying to identify a path forward that would prevent a full closure from taking place.
Unfortunately, despite our repeated and best efforts, we were unable to provide the level and type of assistance to prevent this unfortunate outcome. The company has officially announced that they are going into receivership to not only shutter the Jamestown Plant and liquidate their assets, but all of the facilities owned by eSolutions in the US, Canada, and Asia. The CCIDA and County pulled in Empire State Development, Upstate Capital Association of NY, Insyte Consulting, political leadership, and a multitude of finance-related experts to assist; however, our collective efforts were to no avail as this situation was beyond our influence and control. In fact, due to the efforts of the CCIDA and others, several offers were made to the Canadian lending syndicate to purchase the company, but these offers were inexplicably rejected.
Since 1959, the company has provided employment opportunities for thousands of area residents, including the estimated 230+ workers currently employed at the Jamestown facility today. The issues facing eSolutions are not the result of anything we are or aren’t doing locally, but rather due to internal business-wide decisions and broader economic factors, forces, and uncertainties. In fact, the CCIDA has a long history of working with and assisting Bush Industries dating back several decades, which helped to sustain their operations to the present.
The CCIDA and County vow to do all they can to try to resurrect the business and/or find a new tenant for the Mason Drive facility. In any event, the CCIDA, Workforce Development Board (Chautauqua Works), and the Department of Labor (DOL) will assist the effected workers with finding new employment opportunities with other local businesses, and to ensure they are aware of the available resources that will allow them to land on their feet.
Respectfully,
PJ Wendel, County Executive
Mark Geise, Deputy County Executive for Economic Development/CCIDA CE
