ELK GROVE VILLAGE, Ill. — Foster-Stephens recently celebrated its 85th anniversary, growing from door-to-door sales in the 1930s into a national supplier of textile preservation products.
Foster-Stephens, Inc. was founded in March 1936 by Elmer “Bill” Jones in Chicago, IL. Jones began by selling posters door to door to dry cleaners, and, as time went on, the company’s product line expanded. Jones introduced the first wedding gown preservation box, the Keepsake Pak, at a national drycleaning show in 1947. Since that time, the company has specialized and innovated products for the preservation and protection of clothing and textiles, including preservation boxes and muslin bags.
Since its founding, Foster-Stephens has stayed a family-owned company, with the third generation now operating the business.
“Reflecting on where we’ve been in 85 years and where we intend to go in the decades ahead, we believe we have a solid foundation for the future built on generations of trust,” says Nancy L. Jones, president of Foster-Stephens. “We are proud of all the hard work and dedication our employees have shown the company and our customers over the years, especially this last year with the pandemic.”
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