As Enron unraveled in 2001, Dennis Meyer saw opportunity.
The chief executive of Lakewood-based Office Liquidators phoned an industry contact who handled the liquidation of office furniture once owned by bankrupt companies.
Meyer wanted to buy up Enron furniture. Nearly five years later, he has it – and so can you.
Meyer’s Lakewood showroom is littered with furniture once used by Enron executives and employees, including granite- top office desks, Italian leather chairs and cherrywood filing cabinets.
Some pieces, including 45 Vecta black Italian leather chairs, have already been sold at $179 a pop.
“I hesitated a little bit because a lot of people got hurt by Enron,” said Meyer, 51, referring to the defunct Houston energy company now synonymous with corporate greed. “My feeling was when people hear the name – even if you think negative thoughts – you know the company bought good furniture.”
Enron imploded in December 2001 after a series of financial frauds. Tens of billions of dollars in stock value evaporated, more than 5,000 Enron employees lost their jobs, and auditor Arthur Ander sen dissolved in the aftermath.
Paul Stone, a salesman at Office Liquidators, 11111 W. Sixth Ave. in Lakewood, said he plugs the Enron name when pitching to customers.
“I think it’s a good selling point because everyone knows Enron didn’t buy anything cheap,” Stone said.
He added, however, that some customers use Enron’s notoriety to try to lower the price.
The Enron furniture could spark the interest of collectors, said Frank Chmie lewski, who heads the celebrity and rock ‘n’ roll division of Las Vegas-based AmericanMemorabilia.com.
“It would be on the darker side of collecting,” said Chmielewski, who compared it to buying decor from the home of former football star O.J. Simpson. “Enron’s collapse was a historical event.”
Enron furniture and office equipment have been auctioned in the past. Since Chevron is taking over the former Enron building, there was a last opportunity.
Meyer flew to Houston in September. He said he combed through more than half of the floors once occupied by Enron in its high-rise office tower, hand- picking pieces. He even sat at the desk of founder and former chief executive Ken Lay.
Lay’s fraud and conspiracy conviction was vacated Tuesday by a federal judge because Lay’s July death in Aspen gave him no chance to appeal.
“There was granite and marble everywhere,” Meyer said of Lay’s corner office, on the skyscraper’s 50th floor. “It was the most incredible office I’ve ever seen. Incredible furniture and incredible views.”
Jeff Skilling, who succeeded Lay as CEO, is appealing his conviction on fraud, conspiracy and insider trading.
The furniture of Lay’s and Skilling’s was not part of the sale attended by Meyer. He said he was told that those items could eventually be sold on eBay.
All told, Meyer brought back with him three semi-trucks full of furniture. He said he was the only Colorado-based retailer at the sale.
Staff writer Will Shanley can be reached at 303-954-1260 or wshanley@denverpost.com.
