An electromotive drive mechanism for a piece of furniture, includes a gearmotor having a rotor rotating about a rotational axis, an adjusting spindle for operation of a piece of furniture, and a gear unit connecting the spindle to the rotor of the gearmotor for rotating the spindle about a rotational axis, with the rotational axis of the rotor extending parallel and at a distance to the rotational axis of the spindle. The gear unit includes a nut placed on the spindle for movement in longitudinal direction of the spindle when the spindle rotates, and a first pair of helical gears which are in mesh with one another for reducing the output speed of the gearmotor as transmitted to the spindle.