COVENTRY – The last local vestiges of Garland Writing Instruments, whose pen mechanism design was once used throughout the industry, will be up for auction this week.
Machinery and equipment used to produce the company’s signature pens, along with furniture and fixtures and thousands of pens will be offered for sale on Jan. 26 in an online auction by SJ Corio Co.
The company got its start in 1927 as Lew Manufacturing Co. In the 1960s, the company changed its name to Garland Industries and began making complete pens and pencils.
Rick Becker bought the company in 2013 from the granddaughter of the founder.
In October 2020 he announced that he’d be closing the company due to pandemic-related economic challenges. A few months later, however, he said he was still in business thanks to an uptick in sales and COVID-19-related government support.
On June 30, 2021, New Jersey-based Pen Co. of America announced it had acquired the Garland name and would be relocating the company to New Jersey.
What’s up for sale on Jan. 26 are the assets that were not part of that sale that are still owned by Becker.
He told Providence Business News on Monday that Pen. Co. bought the Garland brand, including the name, along with a line of pens and some newer equipment. At the time, Garland was down to eight employees, none of whom joined the new owner.
Before the pandemic, Garland employed about 17, he said.
“We were doing fine, but the pandemic took everything away,” he said. “We shut down for [about two months], then opened again but it was never the same.”
Now, with the business gone, “I just want to move on,” he said, when asked his thoughts about the auction.
Bidders can inspect items for sale beginning at 9 a.m. on Jan. 26, with online bidding beginning at 10 a.m. and closing beginning at noon on Jan. 27. Potential bidders can register here.
Becker said the 45,000 square foot Coventry building that was home to Garland is also for sale.
(UPDATED throughout with comment, detail on sale from Becker.)