The Longaberger Company

The Longaberger Company
Company typePublic
XELB
FoundedDresden, Ohio, US (January 1, 1973 (1973-01-01))
FounderDave Longaberger
Headquarters
New York, New York
,
United States
Key people
Robert W. D’Loren (CEO)
ProductsBaskets, Home Décor, Furniture, Wellness, and Jewelry.
OwnerRobert W. D’Loren
ParentXcel Brands www.xcelbrands.com
Websitewww.longaberger.com

The Longaberger Company was an American manufacturer and distributor of handcrafted maple wood baskets and other home and lifestyle products. The company opened in 1973, and its handcrafted baskets were a popular home decor item in the 1980s and 1990s.

Founded by Dave Longaberger, the family-owned and -operated company used multi-level marketing to sell its products. It was one of the primary employers in Dresden, Ohio, before it moved to Newark, Ohio, in 1997.[1] At its peak in 2000, it had $1 billion in sales,[2] employed more than 8,200 people directly, and had about 45,000 independent distributors (called Home Consultants) selling its products directly to customers. Along with baskets, the product line eventually included wrought iron products, pottery, wooden lids, and other products.[3]

Its former corporate headquarters on Ohio's State Route 16 is a local landmark known as the "Big Basket".[4] Built to resemble the company's top-selling product, the "Medium Market Basket", the seven-story edifice is a well-known example of novelty architecture.[5]

Longaberger was acquired in 2013 by CVSL, Inc., and closed in 2018. The following year, Xcel Brands acquired the intellectual property and relaunched the brand, expanding it to include home goods such as furniture, food, jewelry and other handcrafted products.[6]

  1. ^ Mallett, Kent. "Key dates: Rise and fall of The Longaberger Company". The Advocate. Retrieved April 20, 2022.
  2. ^ Feran, Tim (April 25, 2013). "Longaberger's new owner intends to fill basket with more direct-sales companies". The Columbus Dispatch. Retrieved December 9, 2021.
  3. ^ Cite error: The named reference :5 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  4. ^ Gunts, Edward (January 4, 2018). "Ohio's famous basket building finally sold". The Architect’s Newspaper. Retrieved April 20, 2022.
  5. ^ Sullivan, Mary Ann. "Longaberger Company Home Office". Art History Webmaster Association. Retrieved January 8, 2008.
  6. ^ Ghose, Dave (November 29, 2021). "Longaberger is Transforming Itself into the Largest Marketplace for Artisans". Columbus Monthly. Retrieved June 7, 2022.