Force Machinery Union NJ Closing.

Another tool store going away, this was the only one in the area left. It's with a heavy heart I post this. From the web site, www.forcemachinery.com :

Important Notice:
We are sad to announce that after 63 years of business Force Machinery will be closing it's doors.
Personal Message From Jim Force Click Here.
CLEARANCE SALE DETAIL
Starting Thursday 2/17/11 at 11am Forces doors will reopen with everything on clearance pricing.
As of now we will be open the following hours:
Thurs 11-6
Friday 10-5
Saturday 9-3
Monday 9-5
Come next week we will reevaluate what is left in our inventory and will keep you posted
on the hours we will be open.

It is sad. 25 years ago, when I lived in New Jersey, that store was like a playground to me. The other playground was Tooltown on Rt 17 in Paramus. Tooltown is still in business but now only sells Festool, Fein, Metabo and other high end tools where people will pay a price for knowledge. and service. They no longer carry what can be bought on Amazon. I compared both websites today (Force and Tooltown) and apparently Force was still carrying the usual "domestic" major brands.

Paul

Wow, Force was the last place in NJ you could go an actually buy tools in person.. It's quite a loss

Yes, they are a bit of a haul for me...but they were also the only real retail dealer in NJ for Sawstop. And they were very very helpful on delivery.

AW Meyer is a bit further north, but they have SawStop products, too. the Octoolberfest there is always fun.

Force Machinery was a great place to go when I was a kid. It'll be missed.

That's disappointing. I only live about 10 or 15 minutes from them.

The last time I was in there, I noticed a lot of bare walls and suspected something was up.

Jeff :)

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthre...82#post1639382

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Originally Posted by Ruhi Arslan

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthre...82#post1639382

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I can't access this, can anyone else, I get this meaasge any idea why:

jason lambert, you do not have permission to access this page. This could be due to one of several reasons:

1. Your user account may not have sufficient privileges to access this page. Are you trying to edit someone else's post, access administrative features or some other privileged system?
2. If you are trying to post, the administrator may have disabled your account, or it may be awaiting activation.

Living in AZ, I never had the privilege to visit Force. It sounds like it was a neat store. It makes me sad to hear of any business having to close their doors, but a woodworking tool place is especially sad. I feel for the owners, their employees and, their customers.

It's sad, however that's what happens when you don't purchase from local businesses, they fail.

Unfortunately due to our newer buying habits, it's doubtful a replacement store will appear.

It's one of those cautionary tales about being careful what you wish for........Rod.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by jason lambert

I can't access this, can anyone else, I get this meaasge any idea why:

jason lambert, you do not have permission to access this page. This could be due to one of several reasons:

1. Your user account may not have sufficient privileges to access this page. Are you trying to edit someone else's post, access administrative features or some other privileged system?
2. If you are trying to post, the administrator may have disabled your account, or it may be awaiting activation.

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It's because that post was in the Deals and Discounts forum, only open to Contributors.

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Originally Posted by Rod Sheridan

It's sad, however that's what happens when you don't purchase from local businesses, they fail.

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Although I consider myself one of the early adapters of online ordering consumers, I try to do my best to do the business locally at a brick and mortar shop. Unfortunately, it doesn't work out well for the most part, even if I were to ignore the cost factor. One good example I have is with a motorcycle shop I had in my hood. I bought all my oil, filters, tires, etc from them knowing that I could have gotten them cheaper without two trips to the local shop once to order, once to check if arrived and once to pick them up. At one occasion, I ordered a set of rear and front stands. He had one set on the floor but he asked if I would be OK to wait so he would keep the floor models on display bikes he had. I waited for a couple of weeks and picked mine up. Front one was faulty so I couldn't get the bike up on it no matter what. I took it back to be told "contact the manufacturer and make a warranty claim". If I were to buy it from one of the online retailers, they would replace it (not all but most places I buy my stuff from) and wouldn't cost me the entire purchase price as it ended up but as a useless piece of chunk of nothing. If I were to make a warranty claim, I still had to pay for shipping both ways. He offered to have it fixed by a "body of his". I've reluctantly agreed. He ended up welding the two pieces, still cocked - not usable. He knew what happened. I even brought the bike to his shop for him to try to get the bike on the stand. He couldn't and shrug his shoulders saying that there was nothing else he could do. One thing for sure he did well; he lost another customer in blood and flesh. I told him that he would never see my face again and walked out. I forgot why I was telling all this story... Oh it was about not buying from local business and therefore they would go under... I totally understand that it is almost impossible to compete with warehouse online retailers because online stores don't have to have the expensive store front, etc. But, in my opinion, if the local store is interested in staying afloat, it is their responsibility to have a competitive online presence and keep up with "our newer buying habits". Not that I would consider 10+ years of online trading exactly "new" but if that's what is needed, so be it. In the case of Force Machinery, obviously, they didn't do that. A quick visit to their website, again in my opinion, tells me that they didn't do a good job at it for one reason or another.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Rod Sheridan

It's sad, however that's what happens when you don't purchase from local businesses, they fail.

Unfortunately due to our newer buying habits, it's doubtful a replacement store will appear.

It's one of those cautionary tales about being careful what you wish for........Rod.

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It's not just buying habits. New Jersey has become very hostile to business. First it was manufacturing, now it's retail. Force Machinery's bulletin board states this issue as a closure point as well as the effects of the economy and internet competition.

As businesses close, New Jersey's financial needs are now shifting ever more on residential properties. With recent hikes (up to 20%) on already high property taxes ($8,000 to $12,000 for the average home), folks like me refrain from spending. It's a double whammy to businesses like Force Machinery. And then there is sales tax and income tax which takes a chunk out of the woodworking budget.

When Woodworkers Warehouse closed all it stores in New Jersey (and nationwide), nothing backfilled the hole. Rockler and Woodcraft did not come. That was 8 years ago? It has only gotten more difficult since then. Difficult enough to take down a business that was 57 years at their location.

Jeff :)