“PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The welcome wagon was rolled out in earnest for Wayfair on Thursday as state and local leaders celebrated the “homecoming” of the Massachusetts venture to its founder’s hometown.
The international home decor company’s new $5 million call center will employ upwards of 300 people in the coming months in a newly renovated section of the Clock Tower Building fully furnished, of course, with Wayfair products.
“Today we’re building a stronger city and we’ve all come together to give a great big, warm Pittsfield welcome to Wayfair, our new business and community partner,” said Mayor Linda Tyer, before introducing a roster of speakers including Gov. Charlie Baker and Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito. “With 300 new jobs, our residents will be able to strengthen their personal prosperity with good wages and benefits and provide for themselves and their families and have opportunities for training and advancement throughout the Wayfair organization.”
Central to the decision to locate in Pittsfield was native son Niraj Shah, a Pittsfield High School graduate who went on to study computer science at Cornell University before founding the e-commerce company with a classmate. Shah remembered how the city had been with GE, where his father had worked, and the changes that have occurred since its departure.”
iBerkshires covers the Wayfair launch with Welcome to Wayfair: Dignitaries, Business Leaders Celebrate Opening published on October 10, 2019.