Group Buys Massachusetts Retailer, Plans Expansion
Pittsfield, MA, September, 27--Former City Councilor Gary S. Grunin and his wife, Jean, have sold their two businesses to a family corporation involving Interprint CEO William Hines Sr., head of the "Jobs for Pittsfield" initiative, according to the Berkshire Eagle.
The Grunins sold Stevens World of Carpets and Berkshire Cleaning Contractors for an undisclosed price to Hines Site Group, a corporation for which Hines serves as the major shareholder. The sale was closed last Monday.
Hines' stepson, Bill Murray, is president of Hines Site Group and is managing the carpeting and cleaning businesses with his wife, Wendy. The two businesses employ 13 people.
Hines said Friday that the corporation has "big plans" for expanding the carpeting business and starting new companies. He joked that one way or another -- through the jobs initiative or his personal efforts -- employment in Pittsfield will be increased.
Besides heading the jobs program on behalf of Mayor James M. Ruberto, Hines serves as chairman of the Pittsfield Economic Development Authority (PEDA), which is overseeing the General Electric Co. site redevelopment. Interprint, the printing company he has run since 1987, will begin moving next year to a new $23 million manufacturing plant off Route 41.
Bill Murray said Friday that he plans to "grow on the long-standing reputation" of Stevens World of Carpets and branch into ceramic tiles and hardwood and laminate flooring. The latter product has a tie-in with Interprint, which designs and prints paper used in the manufacture of laminate flooring, furniture and countertops.
"What we'd like to do is have a more integrated flooring approach," offering options for "the whole floor," Murray said.
Gary Grunin took over Berkshire Cleaning Contractors from his father, Keve, who started the business in 1954. Jean Grunin had been involved since 1971, when the two married.
The couple purchased Stevens World of Carpets, then on Summer Street, from James Stevens in 1986. They moved both the carpeting and the cleaning businesses to Allendale Shopping Center in 1996.
When the Allendale center opened in 1957, Stevens World of Carpets was one of its first stores. But Stevens was forced to move the business to the downtown area in 1977 because of the expansion of Sears, Roebuck & Co. Sears now is at the Berkshire Mall.
Grunin said the couple sold the businesses to be able to spend more time with family.
"Jean and I have run Berkshire Cleaning Contractors since high school," he said. "It's been a long time. We've decided to change our course."
