Ukiah’s Carousel Carpet Mills sold to Georgia company

Tuesday, January 5, 2010, 1:02 pm

By Loralee Stevens, Business Journal Staff Reporter

UKIAH — The assets and brand of long-time Ukiah business Carousel Carpet Mills were acquired by a Georgia company, it was announced today.

Robertex Associates, a nationwide carpet company located in Calhoun, Ga., will move the equipment and operations to Georgia. No purchase price was disclosed.

Owned and operated since its founding in 1970 by the Petrich family, the maker of luxury carpets employs 38. Its current owners, Denice Spencer, Debi Galli, Laura Whiting and Joan Petrich – daughters of founder Max Petrich, who died in 2003 – said substantial investment was needed to continue growing the company.

“We took the business as far as we could,” said Denice Spencer. “Ideally we would have liked a successor to continue to operate the business in Ukiah, but current economic conditions make operation of the mill in Northern California extremely difficult.”

Robertex will be interviewing Carousel employees who may be interested in moving with the company, and Carousel will work with the Mendocino County Workforce Investment Board and local employers to assist in the employment of employees remaining in the area.

Carousel is a premium custom carpet maker, and in its 40 years of business has made hand-made carpets and rugs for hundreds of high-profile customers. They include a mural of Peanuts characters 25yeras ago for the late cartoonist Charles Schulz’s Redwood Ice Arena in Santa Rosa, the company noted.