The Longaberger Company

The Longaberger Companywas an Americanmanufacturerand distributor of handcraftedmaplewoodbasketsand other home and lifestyle products. The company opened in 1973, and itshandcrafted basketswere a popular homedecoritem in the 1980s and 1990s. Founded byDave Longaberger, thefamily-ownedand operated company usedmulti-level marketingto sell its products. It was one of the primary employers inDresden, Ohio, before it moved in 1997 toNewark, Ohio.[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 (calledhome consultants) selling its products directly to customers. Along with baskets, the product line eventually includedwrought ironproducts,pottery, wooden lids, and other goods.[3] Its former corporate headquarters on Ohio'sState Route 16is a local landmark known as theBig Basket.[4]Built to resemble the company's top-selling product, the Medium Market Basket, the seven-story edifice is a well-known example ofnovelty architecture.[5][6]