Page 58 - Lighting Magazine July 2018

together in China is the same thing.”
Retailer Zach Blanchard, owner of The Lighting
House in Shelburne, Vt., is a li le more forgiving.
“As long as the design, some of the manufacturing, and the nal assembly was done here, it can be con- sidered domestically made,” Blanchard says. “I don’t see a problem having the smaller components come
from overseas.”
In recent years, John David Finegan of the
Texas-based rep agency Alison and Company, has noticed more customers asking for American-made products.
“People want to make a purchase they feel good about,” states Finegan, who joined the lighting.
Finegan joined the lighting industry a er high school 15 years ago. He grew up down the street from Kate Grubb, whose parents, Tad and Sue Ali- son, hired him to work at their lighting sales agency.
“I started with data entry, then service and out- side sales along with IT and infrastructure,” he says. “I never expected to stay, but I fell in love with the industry.”
lEft aNd top right:
House of Troy in Vermont
bottoM right: Doug Frates Glass in Ohio
Alison and Company represents several manufac- turers, eight of which are made in America.
“As a group, we’ve always been fascinated by the manufacturing process,” Finegan comments. “We just nished touring \[the factories of\] all of our U.S. lines in the last year. It was an incredible experience and one we enjoy sharing with our customers.”
Like Finegan, Blanchard believes o ering con- sumers the chance to meet the makers behind a purchase is a game-changer. The more that sales- people share a company or product’s backstory, the greater the odds of that customer deciding to pay more for the lamps and lighting in their homes. The growth of American-made goods will depend on retailers ge ing the word out and discussing the bene ts of owning a domestically produced lamp or lighting xture and the history behind the cra smen who cra ed it.
“These are the lines that have a quality... a design and cra smanship you cannot nd anywhere else,” Blanchard says. “It’s a niche for sure, but a niche we must cash in on.” 
Made in the
USA
56 enLIGHTenment Magazine | july 2018
www.enlightenmentmag.com