Bears, Baskets and Beer. American companies.

                                                         
                                                
                               Let’s talk about death, you and I.
                 Take a walk with me in regards to American companies.
         As more mothers and fathers sadly explain why Santa isn’t going to visit their house this year.

　

                                         Bears, Baskets and Beer.
                                                         by
                                         Mark William Darus.

　

　

We’ve all seen the automobile industry falter, American passenger Jet Industry fail at least three times since 1980. This culminating with the bank bailout, via the second Bush Admin.

At least FORD had the nuts/tits to say something like: “ We love America! We survived the great depression and every recession since then. We will not belittle you in the hopes you buy our product. We are by your side and are with you in your struggle.” Perhaps The Ford Motor Corporation is the last American Car Manufactruture left in the United States of America.



　

Just take a stroll with me for a bit of time.

In 2008, Anheuser-Busch, the Great American Beer company sold the majority of its market shares to InBev, a Belgian-Brazilian company. I imagine one day, Bud will be an import.

The company began in St. Louis in 1852. Budweiser was introduced in 1876. By 2008, it became a foriegn company.




Boyds Bears. (began around 1984) This wasm technically still is, a large company in America. Their products making ‘teddy bears’ for every occasion as well as high quality reproductions. They originally sold their products to ‘gift-type stores, like Hallmark. They eventually opened two stores: one in Pigeon Forge TN (closed 2007) and the other near its corporate headquarters in Gettysburg PA, which shut down in 2011.
The stores were amazing! One could not fail to feel a sense of awe strolling through them. So popular, these stores wound up as tour-bus stops which brought tens of thousands thru their doors on a regular basis.
Memories are created this way.
>>>Momma, look at the Santa Bear!<<< a girl-child of 8 or 9 states.
>>>Dad, that skel-leeeton is cool!<<<<
A fathers face smiles while looking at a penguin display, his childrens cries of laughter hitting home.
The elderly visitors walking about the stores, sharing tales of their lives and memories of handmade teddy bears.
This too is gone.

Events like these places getting closed happen everyday
And it got shut down. AND I HAVE TO SO SARCASTICALLY ADD THIS AS THEY KILL JOBS AND CONTINUE TO ASK FOR OUR PATRONAGE: COME VISIT US ONLINE……
I think I’ll take a pass on that, thank you.
I personally believe the best line of bullshit from any American Compamy when the terminate local employees is “Come Visit Us on Online.” How is this not a blow-off statement? It’s like they are saying: Let’s kill store employees jobs, shut down locations, cut costs and let more stupid Americans believe they are reaping a savings for this.
Yeah, right…
　
Hostess died this year of 2012. I am pissed by this.

Granted most of American society will pass it off like a minor kidney stone thru a urinary tract.
To me, Ho-ho’s are gone and this hurts. And Little Debbie sucks. With the exception of my ex mother in law, no one does a Ho-Ho the same. This great Hungarian-German woman made me the greatest birthday present ever: A Ho-ho cake that tasted like the small cake in enormous size. She did this better than anyone ever. Her creation far goes beyond any creation of lasagne, prime-rib, or anything else. Yeah, she was that good! She also liked me…
How do we qualify losing a company like Hostess?
I loved their Ho=Ho’s, Cherry pies, bags of Chocolate mini donuts.
How does one say with the fullest of heart, turning head to many decades of memories, a taste of America is now dead?


Let’s talk wicker, American wicker. Baskets of the major high-end.

Let’s also talk local, as in the State of Ohio.

Months back, while taking a jaunt to Aurora Farms (outlet mall) , Aurora, Ohio USA, I came upon the Longaberger Home showroom store. I was kind of excited about this. Their corporate headquarters is located in peaceful Dresden Ohio. <okay, when I think of Dresden, I am reminded of history and the WWII fire bombings of the German town of Dresden.>

Founded in the early 1900’s, Ware baskets were made by the Dresden Basket factory. Back when, wicker baskets did the job paper and plastic bags. Funny, they couldn’t have been for GREEN-Friendly and were completely reusable, which some 100 years later, is what we’re aiming for.

This company quickly developed a reputation for making the finest baskets in the world and back them with a lifetime guarantee. Now we all hear claims of so-called ‘lifetime’ guarantees, but Longaberger always comes through. I know someone who had an apartment fire and the handles on her basket got fried. They honored it and replaced it free of charge some 10 years after she had bought it.

That is a great thing.

I was most happy when I entered this store. I was greeted by two very enthusiastic employees. I find that to be a good sign, and began walking thru the store. It was carefully lit to create a certain feel of comfort that gives an almost ‘old-world’ homey feel on its baskets and other items I didn’t know they had a inkling towards. Apparently they now make handbags that any wife or girlfriend would drool over as well as serving dishes, plates, bowls, cups, pottery and so forth.

“Aww, this is awesome!” I said, looking at the handmade dishes and such. What fantastic workmanship! The designs painted on each piece was like that of signature, completely unique and beautiful in its own right. Not cheap by any means, but art is art, and if you want ‘Made in America’ you’re going to pay more.

Longaberger has always maintained a ‘Made in America’ angle.

But the Pottery, handbags and dishes they sell are not made in America. I know this because I asked the employees about this. Oh, the basic designs for each piece may have been fathered here, but the items themselves produced, were not.

Apparently, this company got splashed with contradictions to their corporate philosophy and set their sites back home.

Watch this video. This proud Ohio company is going to do what our own government can’t seem to do.

                                                      http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VRrgmurZWi4&feature=youtu.be

　

In conclusion, as we go into the Christmas Season and the winter months in Northeast Ohio, as my gas was shut off today being unemployed for nearly 4 months now with no unemployment benefits, even I stay the course and hold a positive attitude. If one company can make a stand like Longaberger, why can’t others?

Mark William Darus 12042012.

Authors note: It’s a damn good thing for me I made and stock piled candles. (intro)