Yet Another Made in USA General Store

I'd like to tell you about my sort of business person.  His name is Mark Andol and he's an American manufacturer.  He lost a large client to a Chinese competitor and had to close some manufacturing locations and lay off workers which he found disturbing. 

Now in this situation a man like Jeff Fettig, CEO of Whirlpool Corporation would start to whine about his company's inability to compete in the marketplace.  In 2009 during a recession, Mr. Fettig enjoyed a 77% increase in his compensation.  Nice raise.  In 2010, 1,000 Americans in Evansville, Indiana lost their jobs when Whirlpool moved them to Mexico.  So that whole competition problem is solved now to Mr. Fettig's satisfaction, correct?  Mr. Fettig is only mentioned again on this Blog because he serves as superb contrast to an inspiring and admirable American. 

Mr. Andol reacted to foreign competition by investing $50,000 in a 2,000 square foot retail store in Elma, New York.  He stocked that store with exclusively Made in USA products.  The legal definition isn't quite good enough for Mr. Andol as he insists that every item in his store be 100% Made in USA including the packaging.

Most of the employees Mr. Andol had to lay off he now employs in his store.   

His store launch was quite successful.  The store is stocked with a variety of U.S. made goods as well as his own products.  If you are in or near Elma, New York stop in to browse and shop.  If you reside elsewhere in the country you can click the photo below and shop his online store. 

As an American manufacturer I can tell you that it's extremely difficult to get shelf space in large chain stores.  Large retail chains prefer imported products because they come with a larger profit margin.  It makes sense because there isn't quality, safety, innovation, craftsmanship, etc. built into those products.  That leaves a greater margin for profit.  No, the chain stores didn't pass on any savings to you, the consumer. 

This is the third brick and mortar store that we've found with exclusively Made in USA inventory.  Other prudent merchants will likely embrace the same concept.  With each new such retail location comes another opportunity for American manufacturers to find shelf space. 

This is the right direction.  Well done Mr. Andol. 

Country artist Ricky Lee recorded a song that just might be my new favorite Country tune. 

Please visit our site to browse and shop the companies who can compete.

Mary - Proud American manufacturer and web person for FindUSMade.com

Observations of Growth in U.S. Manufacturing & Consumer Power

Detailed multi colored reports with graphs are nice, but they don't compare to what my own eyes witness.

We've been conducting a full review of each department on our site. This presented the opportunity for me to visit some businesses I hadn't personally browsed in several months. I am the one who is most familiar with the inventory of all the companies we list. 

I'm very pleased to share my observations and conclusions.  Keep in mind this involves domestic consumer products and this is happening in a down economy at a time when banks aren't lending.


My observations:

We removed only one link to a site that appears to be offline. It's possible that one company ceased operations but we'll return in the future to see if a new site appears.

Many smaller companies have invested in their web sites and have redesigned them or added e-commerce. Some companies with attractive and well designed sites have further improved their web sites.

The updates of a number of web sites now permit them to search in our Marketplace search. Those sites have since been added and their products can now more easily be found via that feature on our site.

Many American manufacturers have expanded their lines. Some have even expanded their lines into other types of products suitable for listing in additional departments. My own company contributed a new product to the marketplace this year so we too are part of this trend.

There are several manufacturers who are having difficulty meeting demand. They are noting for their customers the expected future date when they can fill orders. (I'm wondering if those companies will soon hire.)

Many retail sites where a keyword such as "USA" was necessary is now unnecessary because those retailers have since added Made in USA departments to their sites.

We've recently added to our site two new online malls that are filled with U.S. made consumer goods.

We also came across several retailers suggesting to their visitors that purchases of Made in USA products be made early, prior to need because of increased demand for such goods. One retailer even described the increased demand as "extreme."

We check many things related to the sites we list, including their traffic. The trend is up for nearly all sites, including other directories, Blogs & resources. This indicates to us that there is definitely an increased interest & demand for U.S. made product.

There is willingness, even in a down economy, to manufacture in the U.S. and enter the marketplace. This is demonstrated to us by a growing number of new companies that we set aside for research & review prior to appearing on our site.

Overall I see progress, growth and expansion with the American manufacturers & selected retailers we list and I am heartened.  I'm looking forward to a full review of the remaining departments. 

My conclusions:

I conclude that when you, the consumer, take the time and make the effort to purchase an American made product, you do much more than just snag a great product and a good value for yourself. That reason alone is really all the motivation a consumer needs.

Given what I'm witnessing, the dollars that consumers traded for U.S. made goods supported American workers & American manufacturers and enabled them to prosper. When able to expand, such companies will expand and deliver additional U.S. made goods to the marketplace providing consumers with greater variety and selection of Made in USA products.

Those consumers who shop for U.S. made product have actually invested in U.S. manufacturing. It appears that prudent and motivated consumers are a fine substitute for a negligent Wall Street.

Now consider Mr. Griggs, a motivated consumer who invested differently in the marketplace. 

Mr. Griggs was a consumer with a need for a set of matching stainless flatware.  He searched numerous big box stores and of course noticed the lack of a Made in USA option for flatware. 

Mr. Griggs understands the same as I, that consumers can not be expected to find the value in the marketplace if a Made in USA option is not present. 

The choice of one shoddy product from Country A and some other shoddy product from Country B is not a real choice. Where was the option for the consumer who is looking for quality and a fair trade for their money?

Mr. Griggs faced a lack of choice.  He knew though what he wanted, what the marketplace needed and what consumers deserved.  He spent about a year working on a solution to his problem and he now has his set of matching flatware.  It is manufactured in Sherrill, New York.  He's now in business selling Made in USA 18/10 & 18/8 stainless steel flatware in 9 tasteful patterns.  I have no doubt this flatware will make it from one generation to the next. 

Liberty Tabletop

Well done Mr. Griggs.


While the review continues I will of course be shopping.  Epicurean is now manufacturing kitchen utensils & coasters, Okabashi is now manufacturing children's footwear and The Three Weavers are back in business.

American manufacturers seem intent on keeping me busy with updates to our site while tempting me with desirable product.

Good on 'em.


Mary - web person for FindUSMade.com  

A Truly American General Store & American Aisle

A General Store is a rarity in communities across the country - even more rare is one that is filled with only Made in USA goods.

That is exactly the inventory that shopkeeper Deborah Leydig wisely chose to offer folks in her community of Barrington, Illinois. Norton's U.S.A. offers housewares, greeting cards, toys, glassware, jewelry, apparel, gift wrap, ribbons, china & much more.


While there are numerous examples of online malls filled exclusively with US made products, listed here, this was the first example we found of a brick and mortar mixed inventory store that decided in favor of only US made goods.
The second example we found was a shop called American Aisle. It's located in Round Lake Beach, Illinois. The two owners, Nitai Pandya and Mia Kenig-Bujnarowski cut the ribbon on their shop in December 2008. They offer their patrons Made in the USA cosmetics, toys, cutlery, kitchen items, wallets, hair accessories, lunch boxes & much more.


Fortunately for shoppers across the country, American Aisle has opened an online store so that we all might browse and shop a brick & mortar merchant that is devoted to supporting U.S. manufacturing.

Their online store is now searchable in our Marketplace search.

In my travels across the Internet, I've come across other people with dreams of opening a Made in USA store - a shop with only US made products. The two merchants noted above are demonstrating that such a dream is feasible.

My own personal dream is an eco-friendly shopping complex with a number of different shops, each with distinct domestic inventory that meet shoppers various needs.

I so thoroughly enjoyed adding American Aisle to our Marketplace search this day. It's strange sometimes, how dreams are realized in unexpected ways.

UPDATE - 07/16/2010

Another occasion to smile as today I added Norton's USA new online store to our site and Marketplace search. 


Mary - Webperson for FindUSMade.com

Gateway to the American Made Marketplace©

Our professional logo is in place & the code for our link banner was written, but we're excited most about the new search feature on our site which we've dubbed - Gateway to the American Made Marketplace©

Unlike your local retail store where the rare find is a US made item, we’d like to introduce you to the reverse situation.

Behind a simple search interface, we carefully assembled a vast collection of the prime Internet locations with 100% or virtually 100% Made in the USA products.*

The locations we search include the online malls, state malls, manufacturers’ sites and selected merchants whose inventory is exclusively Made in the USA. All of these different locations can now be simultaneously searched in one place.

Relieved of the clutter from imports, we view this search as the simplest, quickest & most efficient means to match a US made product with a shopper who seeks such a product.

Nearly all locations in our search have a shopping cart, so a shopper can promptly locate & purchase US made goods if they wish. Since the balance of the inventory is US made on the sites in our search, the discerning consumer can continue to browse or shop for other US made goods.

About Our Search:

All sites and their inventory were carefully researched & vetted prior to inclusion in our search.

*We held to this rule while developing this search. If a location had only 1 identified imported product while the balance of the inventory was Made in the USA, they were acceptable. If they had more than 1 imported item or if it was not identified as such, the location was excluded. This is how we achieved such a pure concentration of Made in the USA products and it explains the 8 isolated imports in our vast search - imports which are identified as such in the product descriptions.

While we have no control over the inventory offered by the sites in our search, we do have control over whether or not a location remains. If we become aware of an increase in the number of imported products offered on a site in our search, it will be eliminated from the search. Likewise, as we find additional suitable locations with 100% US made products, they will be included.

A few of the sites in our search note product origin only on their Home, About Us or FAQ pages so you may not see the origin in some product descriptions. We've checked but since inventory can change, you may wish to verify the origin yourself prior to any purchase.

In some cases, a site's technology was somehow incompatible with our search and so unfortunately, they were not included. In the future, we hope to correct that situation, if possible. Locations that were not included in our search are marked with a red asterisk in our departments. We suggest browsing our departments in addition to the search for additional locations for US made goods.

Search Tips

Results from a query are based primarily on relevance and they can range from No Results to numerous pages dependant upon the search query. (No location appears in our search due to any type of compensation.) They are present because the goods they offer are exclusively US made.

When using the Gateway to the American Made Marketplace©, it can be helpful to use both less specific and more specific search terms. By simply searching the two words shower and curtain, results will deliver both shower curtains and shower curtain rings. Rather than simply searching for stuffed animals, a specific animal can be searched such as a stuffed giraffe.

Sizes can be searched successfully such as Plus Size or Big & Tall. Brands and companies can also be searched.

Results can differ when using or not using quotation marks or from singular and plural versions of words. You might like to try your searches with and without quotations and in a singular and plural form. Terminology can achieve different results such as searching the word overalls or coveralls.

Presently, the search represents about 50% of the compatible sites from our departments. It is already possible to search and locate a surprising quantity and variety of goods, all Made in the USA. We'll continue to contribute and enlarge the search over the next few months. We're noting our progress for users in the left column of our search page.

Please take a few minutes and give our search a test drive. We'd be delighted to hear from you about our site or our search. Please send any comments or feedback to mary@findusmade.com

Mary - web person for Find US Made.com

Discover American Manufacturing

Find US Made.com can be a learning experience for visitors. Not everyone is aware that we produce potato vodka, caviar & extra virgin olive oil in the US.

Our oldest rice mill is still in operation as well as Indiana’s oldest commercial water-powered flour mill. Since 1888, Charles H. Baldwin has produced possibly the absolute best vanilla extract. The Frye Co. is our oldest continuously operated shoe company and for the past 166 years, Johnson Woolen Mills has been producing wool apparel.

Consumers are wise. When they find a value, they return to it time and again which explains our 8th generation companies.

Recycling and technology has brought new businesses and new products to the American marketplace. The growing demand for organic products is being met by many of them. Environmental concerns are spawning eco-friendly products and I believe technology will one day fulfill consumers wildest dreams.

What is common to both long established companies & the new companies listed on our site, are their values and their dedication to domestic manufacturing. They chose to employ Americans. They chose to be subject to our laws, codes & regulations. They also chose to compete in the American marketplace, even against unfair subsidized foreign competition. American manufacturers have moxie, don't they?

Even the merchants that we list, carefully selected the lines they would offer to consumers, and they wisely chose to include American made goods.

Your local large retailer has no doubt selfishly chosen to limit your options by filling their stores with imported products. Unfortunately, you, the consumer is not well served by limited options. You can't be expected to find the value in the marketplace if US made products are absent.

Permit us then to introduce you to the choices you've been missing.

Consumers deserve their choice of US made large stainless steel utensils from Kwik Kut, 6 pieces for $11.25. Casual shorts from Duck Scrubs are $10.00. An organic cotton nightshirt from SOS From Texas is $12.50. A 17 piece recycled plastic tea set from Green Toys is $24.99. The consumer also has the choice of colored glass tree ornaments from Bronner's, 8 for $4.99.

Consumers should be aware of all available options, and we're working hard to spotlight the US made products so often absent from your local store.

The most recent generation of American manufacturers - you know, the ones with moxie, are anxious to meet you. They've worked hard in the American marketplace while playing by the rules and they deserve the opportunity to meet and hopefully impress you. I've visited each and every one of the thousands of locations listed on our site and goodness knows they've impressed me.

Now I'm wondering which of these new companies will be in their 8th generation years from now.

The wise consumer will explore their options and discover value in the marketplace. They'll be rewarded with products they'd purchase again from the manufacturers who earn their business.

What might you discover?

Mary - web person for Find US Made.com

Power in the Marketplace

As a small business person, I get up early every morning, work all day long, most evenings and some weekends, all with the hope of earning some of your hard earned dollars.

Corporate manufacturers and large retailers are no different as they also hope to earn your money. After the toy recalls I noticed a change in the complexion of the toys offered by JCPenney. I noticed US made toys offered now at full price while imported versions were on sale. That large retailer quickly & wisely responded to consumer demand.

Believe me, if the consumer decided that desirable products should be adorned with - let’s say purple stars, then corporate manufacturers and small businesses like ours would be busy affixing purple stars on our products. I would likely be up even earlier in the day affixing the purple stars myself and get my product to market before the large corporations. My products are here already, while the corporations would be awaiting ships to reach a dock. Our pricing would be comparable and competitive mainly because small businesses tend to run efficiently without layers of bloated management. Products without purple stars would be on sale at JCPenney while products with purple stars would be offered at full price.

All of this fuss would have happened because consumers developed a penchant for products adorned with purple stars.

Yes, you have this much power in the marketplace.

Mary - web person for Find US Made.com