100 Years of Sales

In 1904, Ira A. Jones started the company that bears his name when he and fellow Detroit salesman Grover Watkins rode the railroad from Ohio to California and Canada to Mexico, lugging steamer trunks packed with dinnerware and lighting fixtures. At their various destinations, the pair would set up trunk shows in hotel rooms. Initially, one of their merchandise focuses was decorative lighting in the Art Nouveau style, a cumbersome product that was no easy task to transport safely.

Two years later, Jones was on the move again, this time to Chicago, with his wife, Josephine, and his company. He remained in the Windy City through his retirement in 1928. Jones could be considered the father of today's gift shows, after his suggestion in 1922 to establish the "Chicago Glass and Pottery Exhibit."

Following Ira's retirement, the reins were handed to his salesmen "Waddie" Watkins, Roy Larson, Fred Schatzman, Ernie Wilson, and Paul Miller. In 1933, the Ira Jones Co. established a presence in the two-year-old Chicago Merchandise Mart, where it remains today occupying a 4,000-square-foot showroom to serve the Midwest.

One by one the new principals also retired, and by 1970 the company was being run by Hal Mars, Ben Wozniak, and Vince Webber, with the assistance of five salesmen. One of those salesmen was Tom Aschom, who joined the company in 1960.

Tom liked the company so much that in 1985 he and his wife, Polly, purchased it. Today, Aschom remains president, with Polly and son Logan serving as vice presidents.

"We have not strayed from the fundamentals that have stood the test of time: experienced professionals, enthusiasm, patience, and humility," say the Aschoms. "Most important are the quality relationships between manufacturers and our reps."

Many of those relationships are long lasting. As the company grew and expanded its range to include china, glassware and giftware, Ira Jones represented many manufacturers for decades, including the Seneca, Susquehanna, Westmoreland, and Canton glass companies, as well as Hyalyn Porcelain, Verity Peppermills, and Bijan Sculpture.

Today, the Ira A. Jones Company's team of ten sales representatives offer more than 20 product lines of home decor accessories, tabletop and textiles, garden, and giftware from companies such as Allegro Music, Baroque Designs, Bella Vita, Franz Porcelain, Intrada, Northern Lights, Park Designs, San Francisco Bay Trading, Sandicast, and Wine Things Unlimited.

To mark its 100th anniversary, the company will host a weekend celebration, Friday, July 23, through Sunday, July 25, during the Chicago Gift & Home Market. An invitation-only anniversary reception will be held on Friday evening. Mayor Richard M. Daley has been invited as guest of honor. The party will be followed by drawings for special prizes, a signing by artist Julia Junkin on Saturday, cake and refreshments on Sunday, and gifts for the first 25 customers to place orders daily.

Ira A. Jones would have been very proud of his legacy.