Owners of Ashland based 1000Museums.com acquire New Jersey based Museum Store Products
Meet my friend Wood Huntley.
He started his business, Museum Store Products, 38 years ago. He fondly remembers sitting on the floor of his living room with his wife Beirne, laminating photos and making magnets to sell to his first customer, The Philadelphia Museum of Art.
Today he has grown the business to over 25 employees making everything from magnets to notebooks, puzzles to keychains in a 10,000 SQFT factory in rural New Jersey.
Alan and I met Wood in person, but we had heard of the legend prior, almost a year ago, at the industry trade show, MSA Forward, in Boston and we hit it off right away. One thing I saw first hand at the show is that everyone loves Wood. He has a genuine love for everyone he works with and a desire to make the industry stronger and better.
He and Alan started collaborating on different projects right away and I have quietly visited his operation 3 times to learn about his business since.
He has done an amazing job growing a wonderfully skilled team and running a business that is a leader in the industry and I have learned a lot from him on my visits.
His product line is more diverse than ours at 1000Museums and there is very little overlap.
Not only is he an entrepreneur but he also serves as president of the board at the Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey. https://www.shakespearenj.org/
We worked together so well that we started dreaming of ways to grow both of our businesses together.
So I’m pleased to share with you that the 4 partners (Alan Oppenheimer, Stanley Smith, Mac and myself) have purchased 100% of Museum Store Products and Wood is now our VP of sales at the company he started.
It’s important to note that he isn’t retiring.
Far from it. He’s excited to be able to focus on doing what he loves doing most and that is selling the amazing products they make, to his friends that run the museum stores.
We are truly excited and honored to have the trust and faith of Wood and Beirne in us to carry on the tradition of “Made in the USA” quality, industry leadership and customer friendship they have fine-tuned over the last 38 years.
We strongly believe that Art Authority + 1000Museums + Museum Store Products is truly something that is Better Together.
We will be showcasing this at this years MSA conference in Denver with adjoining booths.
The companies are separate, stand alone companies and there are no drastic changes planned for either of them.
We will continue to operate in Ashland, Oregon and Hackettstown, New Jersey.
I’m happy and excited and encourage you to follow along as we continue to grow.
Please check out https://www.1000museums.com/msp/ for more details.
“It’s been a fun ride and I have made the best friends,” reflects Wood on his life’s work, “I am proud of what we built together but it’s time for me to sell the business and focus on what I love doing most… Selling the amazing products we make at Museum Store Products to all of my friends in the Museum world.”
“We are honored to have been chosen by Wood and Beirne to take over the reigns of the highly respected company that they have built over the last 38 years,” said Jim Teece, one of the owners, “I have over 33 years experience in running companies and I look forward to working with Wood in his new role as VP of Sales and the rest of the amazing team he has in place in the New Jersey factory in my role as President of Museum Store Products.”
“I am really looking forward to seeing how 1000Museums and Museum Store Products can work together to further our mutual mission of helping museums thrive,” said Alan Oppenheimer, one of the new owners and managing partner at Art Authority and 1000Museums.
Key Points
- 1000Museums and Museum Store Products are now under joint ownership but will each operate independently and cooperatively.
- Each company will remain under the same industry-focused leadership with over 50 years of experience combined.
- The companies have complementary product lines: from magnets and mugs through custom-framed archival prints, and everything in between.
- Both companies will continue to proudly make the highest quality museum store products in the U.S.A. (New Jersey and Oregon)
“I picked Alan, Stanley, Mac and Jim because I had seen what they did with Art Authority and 1000Museums.com and watched how they not only fixed that business but grew it as well. They have been in this market for 15 years and have a great reputation, take care of their employees and customers and have great ideas on how to excite and energize the museum store industry. I really look forward to working with them as Vice President of Sales.”
By Jim Teece
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