On Jul 9, 12:44*pm, RonB wrote:
The days and reputation of a few old, grumpy and fussy wooddorkers in
their leather aprons has long since evaporated.
You just cannot mechanize 'hand-crafted'.
Then there are materials and processes (like ammonia fuming) which
would drive the environmentalists around the bend..(often the same
yuppies who love to buy Stickley, btw.).

Amen.

We bought some Richardson Brothers bedroom furniture years ago.
Granted, not as well know as Stickley but very nicely made traditional
furniture. *Design, workmanship and finish is top-notch. *We dropped
into a showroom a year or so ago that does sell nice stuff, including
some of their own custom made furniture. *The sales guy/furniture
designer was apologetic about his Richardson Brothers furniture and
for good reason.

Apparently they let the finance guys occupy the design and fabrication
facilities. *Approaching Rent-A-Center quality.

He was discontinuing as soon as he sold off his inventory.

RonB

Nothing like an MBA taking over QC/QA....AND design....
The many times I have seen that.

There is not ONE industry that improves when the spread-sheet crowd
takes over.
Running your company efficiently is one thing, but a bean-counter
telling a customer that he/she is willing to put up with ****,
is ....well..look at Detroit, your example, and bezillions of others.

PEOPLE WILL SPEND A LITTLE EXTRA FOR QUALITY!... unfortunately, there
are those very crafty geniuses like McD, BurgerKing and such that know
where than line is and boy, are they good at toeing it.
I bought a Big Mac while I was on the road not too long ago....and it
was within 1/8" of my throwing the thing at the window of the McD
outlet.
The famous "how bad can it be' question was answered in spades.
But I digress, but did not digest.