[dropcap]T[/dropcap]he Business Journal News Network and Berkshire Bank presented Meyda Lighting with their 2018 Legacy Award, which celebrates businesses in Upstate New York which have created a legacy in their community through time, talent, and resources.
“Receiving the Legacy Award represents our level of community involvement, respect for the arts and education systems, and dedication towards a qualified workforce,” says Meyda Lighting Production Manager Chester Cohen. “It means a great deal to the Cohen family and reflects the diligence of our employees. We truly love giving clients a satisfied feeling each time they flip on the light switch.”
“We didn’t start out as a business, asserts Meyda Lighting President Robert Cohen. “My mother (Ida) was tired of looking at several vintage cars in our backyard, which my father (Meyer) promised he would restore. While waiting for the promised restoration day to arrive, my mother suggested that Meyer install a stained glass window to block the view. My dad was retired and a master inventor, so he and my mother took a course in making stained glass windows in 1974.
“My parents had fun making windows and lamps in our basement and eventually started their own company,” Cohen continues. “Meyda’s growth was spurred by an interest in Tiffany designs that swept the country and our development has come from a number of savvy acquisitions. In 1995, we purchased the Quality Bent Glass Company which created custom lighting fixtures, including the famous Coca-Cola® chandelier. In the late 1990s, Meyda bought Mecco Art, a metal art studio, and in 2009, we acquired 2nd Ave Lighting to further expand metal lighting on the commercial and residential side of the business.”
The company now works with a variety of materials including aluminum, bronze, brass, copper, textiles, acrylics, wood, and even stone to support the manufacturing of its lighting products.
“We keep expanding our manufacturing space to accommodate the growing demand for customized lighting,” explains Director/Hospitality Marketing Max Cohen. “What began as a hobby has grown into America’s leader of custom and decorative lighting.”
