The Longaberger Company
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Longaberger headquarter building, modeled on a giant Longaberger Medium Market Basket. | |
| Private | |
| Headquarters | Newark, Ohio, United States |
Key people | Dave Longaberger |
| Products | Baskets and other home products |
| Website |
www |
The Longaberger Company is an American manufacturer and distributor of handcrafted maple wood baskets and other home and lifestyle products. It is one of the primary employers in the area near Dresden, Ohio area. Started in Dresden, the company is now headquartered in Newark, Ohio. A family-owned and operated business, the Longaberger Company was started by Dave Longaberger, and is currently led by daughter Tami Longaberger. Longaberger is a member of the CVSL community of direct selling companies.
Longaberger uses direct marketing to sell products. The company has approximately 45,000 independent distributors (called Home Consultants) in the United States who sell Longaberger products directly to customers.
The Longaberger corporate headquarters on State Route 16 is a local landmark and a well-known example of novelty architecture, since it takes the shape of the company's biggest seller, the "Medium Market Basket".[1] The seven-story, 180,000-square-foot building was designed by The Longaberger Company, and executed by NBBJ and Korda Nemeth Engineering. The building opened in 1997.[2] The basket handles weigh almost 150 tons and can be heated during cold weather to prevent ice damage.[3] Originally, Dave Longaberger wanted all of the Longaberger buildings to be shaped like baskets, but only the headquarters was completed at the time of his death.
History
In 1919, J.W. Longaberger accepted an apprenticeship with The Dresden Basket Factory. Although the Dresden Basket Factory closed as a result of The Great Depression, he still made baskets on the weekends. He and his wife Bonnie Jean Longaberger (Gist) eventually raised enough money to purchase the closed basket factory and start a business of their own.[4]
One of J.W. and Bonnie's children, Dave, opened J.W.'s Handwoven Baskets in 1976. Starting in 1978, the company began selling Longaberger baskets through home shows using a direct marketing model. Each basket is handmade, signed and dated by the maker.
References
- ↑ Sullivan, Mary Ann. "Longaberger Company Home Office". Art History Webmaster Assoc. Retrieved 2008-01-08.
- ↑ The Longaberger Company. "Longaberger Facts & Features". Retrieved 2012-11-26.
- ↑ Zurcher, Neil (2008). Ohio Oddities 2nd Edition. Cleveland, OH: Gray & Company, Publishers. ISBN 978-1-59851-047-8
- ↑ The Longaberger Company. "The History of The Longaberger Company". Retrieved 2008-01-08.
See also
Media related to The Longaberger Company at Wikimedia Commons