Schoolhouse Electric: Strategies: Schoolhouse Electric's rise a familiar story

Working in real estate, Brian Faherty grew tired of seeing home remodelers come up short in the hunt for the right lighting and other fixtures. "There was always a shortage of quality, non-disposable fixtures," said Faherty. So Faherty, 50, switched gears. He found cast iron lighting molds in upstate New York, refurbished them and formed Schoolhouse Electric & Supply Co. in 2003 to manufacture and sell lighting fixtures from a small storefront in Portland's Central Eastside Industrial District. Schoolhouse's...