Shop Talk is a weekly
column featuring locally
owned and operated businesses.
This week, we talk to
Nikita Grigoriev, owner and
inventor of the Nikita Indoor
Outdoor furniture line.
________
Tell me about your business:
I’ve been in the furniture
industry for 25 years and
basically founded the futon
industry. We were one of the
first to manufacture futon
frames. The industry started
off with a lot of quality
people, but over time, the
industry went overseas as
the Wal-Marts, Targets, etc.,
got involved, and essentially
killed the market. There are
only a few who manufacture
(futon frames) in the States
anymore, and we’re one of
them.
We’ve tried to perfect
efficiency in everything we
do. There’s no wasted time
or energy. Instead of the
cost of shipping and warehousing,
we make it locally.
All the parts are interchangeable,
as well.
Describe a typical day in
your business:
I pretty well do what I
want. I just bought a plane,
so I plan on doing a lot of
flying. My secret passion is
also classical guitar.
But beyond that, I design
furniture, and I work in
the production center (in
Richfield Springs) _ I like
to be hands-on and actually
make the furniture myself.
I spend some time here (in
the showroom) as well.
How did you get started in
this line of work?
I was an aeronautics and
mechanical engineer _ I
designed and built DeHavilland
aircraft. I became a
pilot, but I was very bored
with it. I felt like a glorified
bus driver. I had creativity
bursting out of me, and I
just had to do my own thing.
I was on a flight back
from California one day,
and I became intrigued by
the idea of making a frame
that’s really so simple. I
started doodling on my
napkin, trying to figure it
out. I finally got it into an
arrangement where the
proportions were just right.
From that drawing to getting
an actual prototype, I
would say it took me a week
or two. From there, I started
the patenting process.
We recently realized that
this application is suited to
outdoor use as well. Now,
with the explosion of the
outdoor-furniture market,
we’re really poised to take
advantage of that.
Where do you see this
business in five years?
We would like to have a
few quality stores in carefully
chosen places. Oneonta
is an interesting place to
start. It’s a very discriminating
market. There’s not a
lot of supply for high-end,
sophisticated design, and
people really have responded
to us. Business has
been about twice of what I
expected.
It is, as you can see, a
unique, focused line. Most
stores are eclectic, selling
a lot of different styles, but
we’re selling only this. It
needs to be focused in this
way so you can focus your
attention on the product. It’s
almost deceptively simple
at first glance, but there is
really a lot to it.
Describe a memorable moment
in your workplace:
When I first applied
for a patent, my lawyer
kept submitting it and the
examiner kept rejecting it.
It was such a simple design,
he didn’t understand what
made it unique. My lawyer
actually said, “We’re going
to go down to Washington
and show him this design
in person.” So we did. We
hauled (a futon) down there,
we got it up to the building,
into the elevator, and down
the hall to the examiner’s
office. We set it right there
on the floor and said, “Here
it is.” When he sat down
on it and started moving it
around, he started telling us
what to patent on it and how
we should describe it.
We call the design a fourbar
linkage. The furniture
converts very easily with
one hand from an upright
position, to reclining at any
angle, all the way down to
laying flat. It uses a counterbalance,
so that when you
lean back, it is completely
stable at any angle.
What have you learned
from your work?
I’ve only become more
convinced of certain things
_ that you’ve got to do
things right. Life is too short
to waste your time on short
cuts, and in fact, there are
no short cuts to quality.
You’ve got to do it right the
first time.
What are some advantages/
drawbacks of doing
business in this area?
We looked at a lot of
sites for our showroom,
but we decided to come to
Oneonta. Our factory is in
Richfield Springs, so it’s
convenient, but it’s not just
that. Oneonta, even though
it’s a small city, it draws
on the larger area. And
we have a product that’s
for everyone. We have a
sofa bed that sells for $385,
which is the same quality
as another piece that’s
made with mahogany and
sells for $1,400.
What sets you apart from
your competitors?
Efficiency, which is in
every part of what we do,
sets us apart from all other
manufacturers. I wouldn’t
bother doing it any other
way. This is not just an idea;
it is a part of everything that
we do. It is our entire way of
doing things.
________
To suggest a business for
Shop Talk, contact Emily F.
Popek at 432-1000, ext. 255,
or epopek@thedailystar.com.
Local News -
Related Photos
-
Furniture and fabric samples are seen inside the Oneonta showroom of Nikita Indoor Outdoor on Aug. 3. Photo by Emily F. Popek.
Discussion
COMMENTING ON STORIES:
Welcome to our story comments feature. We welcome your thoughts and your opinions, including the unpopular ones. We only ask that you keep your conversations clean, civil and on the topic of the story you are commenting on.
Coinciding with our websites redesign, we launched our new story comments feature through Disqus.
Disqus gives users the ability to log into our story comments feature so that they may be able to track their conversations, receive emails when their comments get a reply or to even have your comments update onto your Facebook or Twitter accounts.
For the time being, our story comments feature will continue to have the ability to post comments anonymously. We reserve the right to require registration in the future using your name and verified email address.
Not all comments are deemed printable. Some are disqualified at the newspaper’s discretion for a number of different reasons. Please follow our Online Rules of Conduct at all times.
RULES OF CONDUCT:
We reserve the right to remove comments that are unacceptable, to wit:
1. False and inacurate statements.
2. Personal attacks. Explicit name-calling.
3. Harassing, harmful, vulgar, obscene and defamatory language.
4. Threatening statements or statements that suggest violence.
5. Hate speech of any kind.
6. Intolerant comments on religion, race, age, gender, sexual preference or disabilities.
7. Accusations of criminal activity.
8. Content that is harmful to children and minors in any way.
9. References to any type of sexual activity and other private matters.
10. Random and inflammatory statements that are off topic.
11. Advertising of any kind.
12. Typing in all caps.
WE ENCOURAGE REASONABLE AND COURTEOUS COMMENTS THAT:
1. Create conversation on issues of interest and concern to fellow readers and local community members.
2. Express opinions and contrarian views.
3. Stimulate debate with respectful language.
4. Stay within the boundaries of these rules.
WE RESERVE THE RIGHT TO SUSPEND OR TERMINATE ACCESS FOR:
1. Violating any of these Online Rules of Conduct.
2. Deliberately disrupting discussions with repetitive messages, meaningless messages or spam.
3. Misrepresentation of identity or impersonating another user.
WE WELCOME:
1. Flagging violations of these rules that you observe to our attention.
MONITORING:
We monitor comments regularly Monday - Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Approval of comments outside of this time (including weekends) will be sporadic.
Welcome to our story comments feature. We welcome your thoughts and your opinions, including the unpopular ones. We only ask that you keep your conversations clean, civil and on the topic of the story you are commenting on.
Coinciding with our websites redesign, we launched our new story comments feature through Disqus.
Disqus gives users the ability to log into our story comments feature so that they may be able to track their conversations, receive emails when their comments get a reply or to even have your comments update onto your Facebook or Twitter accounts.
For the time being, our story comments feature will continue to have the ability to post comments anonymously. We reserve the right to require registration in the future using your name and verified email address.
Not all comments are deemed printable. Some are disqualified at the newspaper’s discretion for a number of different reasons. Please follow our Online Rules of Conduct at all times.
RULES OF CONDUCT:
We reserve the right to remove comments that are unacceptable, to wit:
1. False and inacurate statements.
2. Personal attacks. Explicit name-calling.
3. Harassing, harmful, vulgar, obscene and defamatory language.
4. Threatening statements or statements that suggest violence.
5. Hate speech of any kind.
6. Intolerant comments on religion, race, age, gender, sexual preference or disabilities.
7. Accusations of criminal activity.
8. Content that is harmful to children and minors in any way.
9. References to any type of sexual activity and other private matters.
10. Random and inflammatory statements that are off topic.
11. Advertising of any kind.
12. Typing in all caps.
WE ENCOURAGE REASONABLE AND COURTEOUS COMMENTS THAT:
1. Create conversation on issues of interest and concern to fellow readers and local community members.
2. Express opinions and contrarian views.
3. Stimulate debate with respectful language.
4. Stay within the boundaries of these rules.
WE RESERVE THE RIGHT TO SUSPEND OR TERMINATE ACCESS FOR:
1. Violating any of these Online Rules of Conduct.
2. Deliberately disrupting discussions with repetitive messages, meaningless messages or spam.
3. Misrepresentation of identity or impersonating another user.
WE WELCOME:
1. Flagging violations of these rules that you observe to our attention.
MONITORING:
We monitor comments regularly Monday - Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Approval of comments outside of this time (including weekends) will be sporadic.
August 11, 2007
Shop Talk: Nikita Indoor Outdoor furniture
- Local News
-
- Ex-CIA worker admits NSA leaks
-
EOH to host Grammy-winning blues artist
The Earlville Opera House will welcome the Grammy-winning blues of the Joe Louis Walker Band at 8 p.m. Saturday.
- DEC puts limits on pipeline construction Asserting its jurisdiction over New York's natural resources, the state Department of Environmental Conservation told federal regulators in a new filing that running the Constitution Pipeline across streams can only occur in a narrow time window because of potential impacts to fish populations.
-
Bassett doctor earns research award
It has been quite a rewarding -- and awarding -- year for Nischala Ammannagari, M.D., a medical resident in her second year of training at Bassett Medical Center.
- News briefs
- Missing 't' eliminates local speller Molly Youngs of Sidney was eliminated in the second round Wednesday morning at the Scripps National Spelling Bee near Washington, D.C. She misspelled "apparatchik" by leaving out the "t."
-
Heavy rain, hail hit area
Heavy rains pounded through the area Wednesday night with the National Weather Service warning of tornadoes and urging residents to seek shelter.
- Anti-fracking advocate welcomes critics Industry groups promoting shale gas drilling have had more than a few bones to pick with Cornell University engineering professor Anthony Ingraffea. His reaction is: Bring it on.
-
Belleayre hearing draws 150
Since its inception in 1999, the proposed Belleayre Resort at Catskill Park plans have undergone major discussion, collaboration and adjustments.
- Planners approve Blodgett project The Oneonta Planning Commission unanimously approved plans for the proposed Hillside Commons student apartment complex during a meeting Wednesday night, the chairman said.
- Hobart man charged with stealing drugs from Covidien A Hobart man who worked for Covidien Healthcare has been arrested on drug possession charges, Delaware County deputies said in a May 24 media release.
- Woman faces animal cruelty charges A New Berlin woman has been charged with animal cruelty, a May 24 media release from the Chenango County Sheriff's Office said.
- Fugitive arrested in Chenango A Pennsylvania man was arrested as a fugitive, a media release from Chenango County deputies said.
- LOTTERIES
- Police: No one immune to abductions Oneonta Police Chief Dennis Nayor is redoubling efforts to teach parents about preventing child abductions and to train offers to respond if such a crime were to occur.
- Some towns still resist setting up websites Two decades after the World Wide Web made it possible for just about anyone to create an Internet portal, some local governments lack websites that could be used to provide residents with information about their decisions, public services and events in their communities.
- Walton woman arrested after fake prescription
-
Milford student produces local online video series
A Milford Central School senior has begun sharing news about the local community on a video magazine called the "Milford Montage."
- Bassett to host award ceremony "Searching for Pearls" will take place at noon Monday in the Clark Auditorium at Bassett Medical Center.
- Four charged with multiple deer violations Four Otsego County men were ticketed with multiple deer hunting violations on March 29 for illegally killing eight deer in the county, Gene Kelly, regional director of the state Department of Environmental Conservation, said in a release Friday.
