GREENVILLE — A historic furniture brand is returning to production with the launch of Troy Contract, a new Greenville-based manufacturer owned by John Baumgardner and Bill Coomer.
Troy Contract operates as a subsidiary of Troy Sunshade and manufactures furniture for educational, office and other commercial settings. The company recently began filling its first sizable order, which will be delivered to a school in Fort Wayne, Indiana.
“We used to do furniture back in the ’30s,” said Baumgardner, co-owner of Troy Sunshade and Troy Contract. “We’ve looked at some of the old patterns and brought some of them back. We’ve also brought our more modern educational and office furniture line here to Greenville.”
Baumgardner said most of the company’s products are manufactured in Darke County, although some sewing work is outsourced.
“For the most part, it’s all made in Darke County,” he said.
The owners said the new company blends the history of Troy Sunshade with furniture designed to meet the needs of modern schools, workplaces and other commercial environments.
The company’s educational furniture line includes upholstered foam seating and lightweight modular pieces that can be moved and rearranged for different classroom activities. Products include round, geometric, rectangular and organic-shaped ottomans, along with other seating and accessory items.
The early-childhood collection features soft, approachable forms designed to encourage children to sit, climb, build and collaborate. Its modular construction allows educators to reconfigure classrooms for story time, small-group instruction, independent activities and play.
Coomer said the launch carries personal significance because he was once expected to sell Troy Sunshade products as a young manufacturer’s representative.
“Many years ago, before we bought the Troy Sunshade Company and learned all the history of it, I was supposed to sell for Troy Sunshade as a young man,” Coomer said. “To see this end up in our possession is a pretty cool deal. Going from a salesperson to owning the company and being able to resurrect it in Greenville, our hometown, is pretty special.”
Coomer said the owners hope the company’s growth will create additional jobs in Greenville and Darke County.
“That’s the goal,” he said.
Troy Contract does not sell individual pieces directly to the public. Instead, the manufacturer distributes its products through a nationwide network of dealers.
“We have 80 dealers throughout the United States now signed to sell our product,” Coomer said.
The company’s portfolio draws on furniture designs dating from the Streamline Moderne and mid-century periods while also offering contemporary pieces for flexible learning and work environments.
By reviving earlier designs and developing new American-made products, Baumgardner and Coomer hope to build upon Troy Sunshade’s history while establishing Troy Contract as a modern furniture manufacturer with roots in Greenville and Darke County.
