Thirty-One Gifts, a direct sales business started in Chattanooga in 2003, is closing its Chattanooga office, employees were told Tuesday.
A spokesperson for Thirty-One Gifts said the company moved its headquarters to Johnstown, Ohio, last year. She said it had now been decided to consolidate the operations in Johnstown.
She said there was no further information available.
A person familiar with the local operation said, "Thirty-One Gifts has closed its Chattanooga facility today (1/12/2010). They will only operate the Ohio facility. This is probably 70 more Chattanoogans that are unemployed. The employees went to work today and lost their jobs today."
The firm was started by Cindy Monroe, a former Unum employee who said she wanted to start her own business that would allow female employees to have flexible schedules.
The firm reported sales of $134 million in 2006 and early in 2007 moved from Middle Valley Road to much-larger space on Old Hixson Pike.
The company then had almost 700 consultants. Consultants earn commissions from others they recruit to take part in the firm's offerings.
The firm's name is a reference to the virtuous woman in Proverbs 31 who works both at home and outside the home.