01/04/13
by Jessica McMaster
Reporter/Producer
KENTWOOD, Mich. – A local company has closed, leaving hundreds of people without a job.
Commerce LLC, a lawn and garden company based out of Maryland, announced that it has closed for business.
City officials told FOX 17 News that the closing has put more than 250 people out of work, nationwide. At least 25 people in the local area are affected by the closing.
RT @NicoleDFOX17 @FOX17 Video now showing in court of the day police responded to domestic involving Latrice Maze & bf Jahleel Hoskins57 mins
RT @lindsayfox17 My name is Griff and I'm 11 weeks old doing my First Paws With A Cause training in GR @FOX17 http://t.co/eXSTNiCIn31 hour
RT @NicoleDFOX17: @FOX17 Hoskins' cousin, Greg Shanklin, appears troubled as he admits what Hoskins told him abt Maze's murder. http://t.co…1 hour
4 Comments to “Company Closes, Hundreds Left Jobless”
January 4, 2013 at 3:22 PM
It used to be Mollemas. Are they going to reopen it? I sure hope so!
January 4, 2013 at 3:41 PM
Sad ending to a great company. Actually this division was based out of Maryland, not started out of Maryland. The Grand Rapids operation was orignally founded by my great, great grandfather, John Mollema Sr. as J. Mollema & Sons in Grand Rapids in 1911 as a lumber, building material and coal supplier to the Grand Rapids, Mich., area. Commerce bought the company in 2006. Although not connected to the company, John Sr's. granddaughter, Hermina is 103 and lives in the area.
January 4, 2013 at 4:56 PM
Can your family buy it out or reopen it? Like all chip in on it or isn't anyone interested in dealing with the hassle of running a business anymore?
January 5, 2013 at 12:40 AM
When the company went into Kentwood, did it receive any tax incentives from the city or the state? If so I feel they should pay that money back, as a penalty for not notifying the city in advance of what it intended to do. Now on the other hand, if they did not receive anything of that nature from the city or the state, then all I can say is that the Mayor is doing the right thing by helping the 25 who lost their positions with that company find employment.