Pfaltzgraff

Pfaltzgraff is an American kitchenware company that has been in business for almost 200 years that is part of Susquehanna Pfaltzgraff.

History

Pfaltzgraff started in the early 1800s in York County, Pennsylvania. It was founded by several members of the Pfaltzgraff family who were potters, the most notable of whom was Johann George Pfaltzgraff. Johann, having come from a family of potters, knew the trade, and passed his skills on to his 7 sons. After Johann died in the late 1800s, three of his children, John, George, and Henry, were still carrying on the business. The business became official in 1889 when George and Henry started a partnership that would become "The Pfaltzgraff Co." The first factory was built in 1895.

The business continued to grow, and in 1960, Pfaltzgraff opened their first retail store under the name "Pottery Hill." During the 1950s and 1960s, the products were mostly sold in specialty stores, but in the 1970s, the business made a strategic decision to sell in higher-end department stores, such as G Fox and Macy's. The Pfaltzgraff Co. joined the family of Lifetime Brands, Inc. in 2005. [cite web |url=http://multichannelmerchant.com/news/Pfaltzgraff-sold-Lifetime-0605/ |title=Pfaltzgraff Co. Sold to Lifetime Brands |accessdate=2008-04-17 |last=Fischer |first=John |date=2005-06-20 |work=Multichannel Merchant |publisher=Penton Media]

Today the company owns and operates 67 stores nationwide. The product line currently includes dinnerware, glassware, flatware, and other kitchen preparatory and cooking tools. Due to the age of the company, and the quality of the products it produces, Pfaltzgraff is well known for its collector community.

References

External links

* [http://www.pfaltzgraff.com/ Company Website]
* [http://www.ydr.com/ntbf/ci_4261314 The York Daily Record: "Never to be forgotten: A year-by-year look at York County's past"] : 1800-1815: "1811: Conewago Township - Pfaltzgraff pottery starts small" by James McClure