More People Comfortably into Less Space

Every project is different - but one central theme that has been running through all of our projects lately is "we need to (comfortably) fit more people into less space". Over the past two years we have have had great success using Allsteel's Reach to accomplish this task.

Reach integrates all of the required workstation storage into the central spine. This eliminates the need for any undersurface storage, and thus makes the entire worksurface usable (in a typical workstation you lose the 18" to 21" where the filing pedestal sits). With more useable work area, we can actually reduce the overall size of the station footprint WITHOUT making the space feel smaller.

Use Allsteel's "space and savings calculator", to see what you can save by using Reach
(click HERE for the calculator).

In addition, because panels are not required to hang overhead cabinets, we can lower the overall panel height, which allows more natural light into the station (a LEED criteria).

See if Reach is the right solution for your next project - feel free to contact us at CSG or Sam Clar for more information.

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Options for your Used Office Furniture

One of the questions we are consistently asked by our clients is; "What can we do with our old office furniture?"

The answer to this question depends on the age, condition, and configurations of the product. If the product is less than 5 years old, in average condition (or better), and was designed for a typical office, there is a very good chance that a used furniture dealer or liquidator will actually pay for the product (going rate is .07 to .10 cents on the dollar).

If the product is between 5-10 years old, in average to below average condition, there is still a good chance the liqudator will remove the product at no cost to the owner.

Product beyond 10 years old and/or in poor condition and/or in "custom" configurations, most likely the owner will need to pay a service provider to remove and dispose of the items.

One of the more popular options that has recently developed is the Re-Use/Re-cycle route for old furniture disposal. In this option, companies that specialize in "green" re-purposing of old items will take over the process. These companies generally remove the items and direct them to needy charities or schools. Items that can't be re-used are broken down and recycled, with only the bare minimum going to landfills.

Two companies that specialize in this option are:

Ireuse.com - a San Francisco Bay Area based company, and Revive, a Nova Scotia based company that has entered into a partnership with Allsteel (For information on the partnership click HERE).

For more information on what to do with your existing product, please contact your Sam Clar or CSG account executive, or email me at: john@samclar.com

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Gunlocke's Silea - Best of Neocon 2009 Silver Award

Gunlocke introduced its newest casegoods line Silea at Neocon 2009.

Designed by Mitch Bakker, principal of IDa Design, Silea was "developed to provide designers with the freedom to create innovative, appealing private office solutions, it features unique functionality and extensive flexibility of scale."

Silea won the Silver Best of Neocon 2009 for the Casegoods: Desks and Credenza Category

For a preview of Silea, click (HERE).

For more information about Silea, Gunlocke, or office furniture in general, please feel free to contact Sam Clar Office Furniture or the Commercial Services Group.

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Lots of Movement in Bay Area Commercial Real Estate

Last week I noted that the dominoes were starting to fall in the local commercial real estate market. The fun has definitely begun. Big story this week:

250 Montgomery Street in San Francisco (corner of Pine), a 16 story / 116ksqft building just traded hands at a 57% decline (from $400 / sqft to $172 / sqft). The owner, Lincoln Properties, went into default and sold the note on the building to an undisclosed buyer. The story in the San Francisco Business Times goes onto say that this transaction sets a new benchmark in valuations of San Francisco Commercial Real Estate (LINK).

As noted last week, the downstream effect of these transactions will ultimately allow rents to adjust to the new reality (down), and thus begin to fill up the mostly vacant buildings.

Why is this relevant to Sam Clar Office Furniture, the Commercial Services Group, or any other Bay Area Facilities professional? Because - the more transactions (companies moving or relocating), the more projects and opportunities for our services. Rents adjusting downward allows the building owners to increase occupancy - (e.g. more relocations). Again, this is a "painful" but necessary adjustment process.

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Allsteel Sponsors a Local Ergonomics Seminar

The Staff at Sam Clar Office Furniture, and The Commercial Services Group would like to invite you to The Basic Changing Trends of Demographics and Body Sizes, an ergonomics seminar given by Scott Openshaw, M.S., CPE., and hosted by Allsteel. The course will cover recent trends showing the workplace growing heavier and aging, and the implications of these changes.

The course falls under subject code 1.3 (Theory & Creativity, Human Factors/Ergonomics), Designation: General Knowledge.

This seminar is approved as .1 CEU under the same course number.

Two dates are available, July 14th from 5:30 PM to 7:00 PM and July 16th from 8:00 AM to 9:30 AM. The seminar will take place at the San Francisco Allsteel Resource Center. Seating is limited, for more information and to RSVP, please follow the link in the title above (or click HERE).

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Some Help in Calculating LEED Credits

In the past 18 months, nearly 100% of our projects have started out with the client or specifier asking us about the "green" factor of our products. With the desire for LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification becoming more and more commonplace, being able to quickly and accurately provide answers has become a critical determinant to winning projects.

Within our organization(s), (Sam Clar Office Furniture and The Commercial Services Group), we are fortunate enough to have Rachel Leaverton, a LEED Accredited Professional (AP), on-staff to assist us in navigating the path towards a LEED certified project. In addition to Rachel, we have found that the Gunlocke Company has a great new on-line resource that can also help.

Check out Gunlocke's Green Calculator to quickly find out how Gunlocke's products can help earn LEED credits towards certification.

See How Sustainable Gunlocke's Converge Product Line is with the new Green Calculator

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IPO Market Coming Back To Life?

This is the 2nd time this week that I have heard from "sources" that the IPO market may show signs of coming back to life.

The first indication was from a high-level executive at a high-tech company, who commented that his phone had been ringing lately with offers to jump into some late stage VC funded firms getting prepared to go public.

The second indication comes from Steve Westly (former California State Controller), high tech investor who made his comments in a recent speech (link).

Hopefully where there is smoke - there is fire -- it has been a loooong time since I've seen anything close to good news on the IPO front.

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Networked World

Amazing what you learn when you start looking into all the places your company resides on the internet. Aside from this blog, Sam Clar Office Furniture is listed in 7,310 "other" places.

Some of the highlights:

From Yelp I found out that we had a single (very bad) review from 2 years ago(appears to be someone who would have been better served at Ikea or Scandanavian Designs). I'm thinking perhaps we are not "cool" enough for the Yelp crowd...

From LinkedIn I discovered that we apparently have an office manager for our Indiana office. Which would be fine, except we don't have an Indiana office (we only have one location in Concord Ca.), so apparently someone is posing on-line as one of my employees (while I'm flattered and a bit confused at how we got selected, I have alerted LinkedIn to this issue).

Just for good measure from the general Google listings, I found a review for one my local competitors (who shall remain nameless). This competitor thought it would be a good idea to post an "anonymous" review which slammed us by name, while praising his company. My opinion, life is too short to play that game... (although I also turned it into the on-line "judges" for review and removal).

I like the connectivity of everything these days, just gives us one more thing to try to keep on top of...

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The Real Sam Clar

Indulge me a bit on this one...

My staff and I are always asked "where did the name Sam Clar Office Furniture come from?". So I thought I would take this posting to give the "official" background:

Sam Clar was my Great-Grandfather (my Grandmother's Father). Sam was one of 11 brothers and sisters, and was originally born in Denver Colorado. He moved out west in the early part of the 20th century, ultimately settling in the East Bay Area (Oakland) in the late twenties or early thirties.

To the best of our knowledge, Sam started the business (originally as an equipment and office machine seller) in 1939. He ran the business until 1973 at which time it was purchased by my Father (Jeff Schwartz). My Father retired from day-to-day operations in 1996 at which point "the torch was passed" to me.

Sam Clar and his Great-Grandson John Schwartz in 1972

Sam passed away in 1984, and I was fortunate to have been old enough to know him. He was a charismatic man who spent a lot of his time working with different community organizations and charities in the East Bay. Not a day goes by when my staff and I don't think about the "legacy" we have behind us.

Thanks for your indulgence on this nostalgic post...

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