Robert Kraft’s company buys site of Worcester furniture store for $1.8M
Photo | Eric Casey
Rainbow Furniture in Worcester
The site of Rainbow Furniture in Worcester has been purchased for $1.8 million by an entity managed by The Kraft Group, which has a separate facility next door.
The property, located at 112 Grove St., was sold in a deal finalized on July 16, according to Worcester District Registry of Deeds records.
The property was purchased by TKG 112 Grove Street LLC, an entity that shares an address with Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, which serves as the headquarters of The Kraft Group. Owned by New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft, the Kraft Group has a diverse portfolio that includes the New England Revolution soccer team, the Patriot Place complex, and Gillette Stadium.
It’s unclear what this news means for the future of the store. A store employee told WBJ that store owner Bob Bentley is on vacation and not available to comment. The Kraft Group did not respond to a WBJ request for comment.
The discount furniture store has been in operation in Worcester since 1980, according to its website.
The Kraft Group's non-sports holdings include Worcester-based packaging manufacturer Rand-Whitney, Foxborough-based International Forest Products, and UN1F1ED2 Global Packaging Group in Sutton.
UN1F1ED2 operates a facility at 150 Grove St., a property directly next to Rainbow Furniture’s location. Rand-Whitney operates from headquarters in Worcester’s South Quinsigamond Village, and both Rand-Whitney and UN1F1ED operate manufacturing facilities in Boylston.
Robert Kraft began his professional career at Rand-Whitney in the 1960s, when it was owned by his father-in-law, Jacob Hiatt.
The 19,615-square-foot building at 112 Grove St. was once part of the Washburn and Moen North Works complex.
Founded in 1831, Washburn & Moen manufactured wires for uses including telegraphs, piano, and hoop skirts, according to the website for regional tourism group Discover Central Massachusetts. By the late 1870s, the company employed more than 3,000 workers at its two locations in the city, making it Worcester's largest employer.
Today, the property is part of the Washburn and Moen North Works District, listed on the National Register of Historic Places, meaning it is subject to protections, including the City of Worcester's demolition delay ordinance.
The property was given a tax assessment value of $555,800 in 2024, according to City of Worcester property records.
Eric Casey is a staff writer at Worcester Business Journal, who primarily covers the manufacturing and real estate industries.
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