Louis L. Booth, Inc
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Louis L. Booth, Inc is a jewelry manufacturing, founded in 1983 by Louis Booth on Long Island, New York. Today Louis L. Booth, Inc. is one of the last remaining companies to design and manufacture costume jewelry domestically.
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[edit] History
[edit] Origin
Louis Booth was born in 1948 in Springfield Massachusetts. His Parents, Leo and Ana Booth, were Greek immigrants. Leo was a skilled chef and frequently moved the family opening restaurants and closing then when they ceased to be profitable. Finally they settled in Hempstead, New York. At 19, Louis was drafted and served as an electronics supply technician. After his tour of duty, he was trained to be a photographer at the New York Institute of Photography. When photographing Jones Beach Louis collected pebbles, and painted pictures on them. He would set the painted rock, and hang it as a necklace. He painted many different pictures but he was well known for his trees and flowers. His painted rocks were carried at FortunOff, and The Metropolitan Museum Store, as well as many local bars, and boutiques. Louis Continued to create "wearable art" as he called it, in many different mediums. Louis taught himself to forge silver, and began a Sterling and Brass line.
[edit] Recognition
His designs appeared on many fashion runways, department stores, including Macy's, Saks Fifth Ave, and Bloomingdales, and several fullpage ads in the New York Times. In 1985 Louis and his wife, Barbara, gave birth to their oldest son Alexander, who was born with a tracheo-esophageal fistula, and their focus drifted from the business to their son's health. With many of the department stores demanding overseas manufacturing, Louis L. Booth, Inc. lost market share with many of their big accounts. Booth focused his sales and marketing on smaller outlets, such as boutiques, women's dress stores, jewelry counters, and sales representatives. There were over 3,000 wholesale accounts held with Louis L. Booth, Inc. from various retailers.
[edit] Conversion to Retail
In 1994, Louis had his first of a series of heart attacks. He decided to take the company in a different direction, by closing down his New York City showroom, and Long Island Factory. Focusing on retail, in the Tri State area (New York, New Jersey and Connecticut) the company has eased up on production work, and rather focuses on "artistic" and one of a kind pieces.
