Sharing
                                       Sentim                                     T
     Roman bRings giftwaRe foR celebRations                                              here is a company that         seen in the categories you offer?
                                                                                         has been part of many          DL: In inspirational and gen-
     laRge and small
                                                                                         celebrations over the          eral gift products, the design
      From the Amusements collection                                                     years — whether it is for      and quality of the merchandise
                                                                                  Christmas, a new family mem-          continues to get better. When
                                                                                  ber, a good friendship or even        holes are created in the mar-
                                                                                  celebrating and enhancing the         ketplace, as we’ve seen over the
                                                                                  beauty of an outdoor space.           past couple of years, you need
                                                                                  That company is Roman Inc.,           to be careful what categories
                                                                                  with over 45 years in the indus-      you introduce to not get too far
                                                                                  try. Giftware News recently talk-     from your base. We’ve tried a
                                                                                  ed with Roman President Dan           few new categories, and some
                                                                                  Loughman about the company,           have worked and some haven’t.
                                                                                  its products and what he sees for     Roman purchased Cottage
                                                                                  the company’s future.                 Garden a few years ago, and this
                                                                                                                        was a great move for both com-
      Part of the Joseph Studio                                                   Giftware News: What is the            panies. Cottage Garden music
      Collection                                                                  origin of the name Roman?             boxes fit extremely well with the
                                                                                  Dan Loughman: Roman is                rest of Roman’s product line and
                                                                                  the first name of our founder’s,      sells into the same retailer base.
                                                                                  Ron Jedlinski’s, father. Roman           Customers still like the tra-
                                                                                  Jedlinski owned a religious goods     ditional Christmas look. They
                                                From the popular Glitterdome
                                                                                  store in Chicago, and Jedlinski       want angels and Santas in reds,
                                                collection
                                                                                  began his company selling prod-       greens and ivorys; not every-
                                                                                  uct to other retailers out of the     thing can be whimsy. We have
                                                                                  back of his father’s store. When      had success with LED lighted
                                                                                  it was time to actually give his      products and, of course, our
                                                                                  business a name, Jedlinski chose      Fontanini and Joseph’s Studio
                                                                                  “Roman Religious Goods” in            nativities.
                                                                                  tribute to his father. It has since      Even during a recession, our
                                                                                  been shortened to the current         retailers still see Roman offering
                                                                                  “Roman.”                              big ticket items as people will
                                                                                                                        continue looking for detailed,
                                                                                  GWN: Where do you see your            high quality product. For exam-
                                                                                  company in the marketplace —          ple, many of this year’s best
                                                                                  what is your niche?                   selling items retail for $79.99
                                                                                  DL: I see Roman continuing to         and above.
                                                                                  serve the general gift and the
                                                                                  inspirational markets. One of         GWN: What are some of your
                                                                                  Roman’s greatest assets is our        best-selling products?
                                                                                  diverse product line we can offer     DL: With our diverse brands, we
                                                                                  to customers. It offers us protec-    have best selling products in sev-
                                                                                  tion when the market has its          eral unrelated categories, such
                                       Dan Loughman, president and chief execu-   various ups and downs (i.e. if        as Christmas, garden, babyand
                                       tive officer                               Christmas is down, general gift       inspirational, among others.
                                                                                  could be up to offset it).
                                                                                                                        GWN: So Roman has several
                                                                                  GWN: What changes have you            brands that it offers?

     62     GIFTWARE NEWS giftwarenews.com



62_63 Roman.indd 62                                                                                                                                9/28/11 2:20 PM
ment
                                                                                                            A painting depicts where it all began




                      By Barbara Wujcik


                                                                         From the New Baby collection

     DL: Correct. In Christmas, we do extremely        comprehensive websites for our sales force
     well with Glitterdomes, Acrylics and our          to use to give them information to better            From Fontanini, a 103-year old brand
     Amusements, which are lighted, mechanical         service our customers. We have put a good
     and musical tabletop items. Our 103-year-old      amount of effort into our Facebook page to
     Fontanini brand has the widest selection of       provide another avenue for information on
     nativities and nativity figures in the market.    programs and new introductions.
     Our Joseph’s Studio brand was created only
     five or six years ago and is now a major player   GWN: We hear you have an upcoming cel-
     in general Christmas, nativities, garden and      ebration on the horizon?
     is the number one inspirational figure line       DL: Yes, Roman will be celebrating its 50
     in the market. Our general giftware brand         year anniversary in 2013. I’m very proud
     still contains some of the most traditional       of the fact that Roman has evolved over
     and best selling inspirational product in the     the years and stood the test of time while
     company. This gets supplemented each year         some other companies haven’t been able to.
     with hundreds of new baby, wedding and            Hopefully, my wife, Julie, and I will be able
     everyday items.                                   to pass this company along to our children
         For Cottage Garden, the new digital music     for them to celebrate the 75th and 100th
     boxes have been a huge hit, and the tradi-        anniversaries.
     tional boxes and framed sentiment continue
     to sell extremely well.                           Roman, Inc. is a leading producer and exclu-
                                                       sive distributor of more than 4,000 gifts
     GWN: How do you attract new customers             and decorative accessories. Among the larg-
     and serve your current market?                    est privately owned and operated firms in
     DL: Roman offers good, quality products, and      the industry, Roman offers a vast array of
     that is the best way to attract new customers.    Christmas decorations and a wide range of
     We stick with what Roman is good at and           inspirational, special occasion, and year-
                                                                                                                    A ribbon cutting in January celebrating the
     continually strive to make improvements and       round giftware. Roman products are sold                                         new Dallas showroom.
     innovate. No matter what happens with the         through specialty retailers, upscale depart-
     economy, consumers will celebrate Christmas       ment stores, select mail-order catalogs, gift
     and want gifts with sentiment for other occa-     shops and internet sites.                               While Ron serves as chairman, ownership
     sions throughout the year. We provide excel-         In operation for more than 45 years,              and management of the company has passed
     lent customer service, and Roman is consis-       Roman is the inspiration of Ron Jedlinski.           onto the next generation of the Jedlinski
     tently ranked in the top 10 for our customer      His business was born in 1963 with $500              family. His daughter, Julie and her husband,
     service in retailer surveys. Customer service     and an old station wagon full of inspira-            Dan Loughman, are co-owners and serve
     is all about people — from the salesman           tional products. He quickly carved his niche         on the Family Board. Dan Loughman is the
     that takes the order, to the coordinator that     in the religious articles and giftware mar-          company’s president and chief executive offi-
     answers retailers’ questions over the phone,      ketplace and subsequently expanded into              cer. Julie’s mother, Diane, also serves on the
     to the packer on the line boxing up the order.    wedding, anniversary, baby, christening and          Family Board.
                                                       retirement products.                                    With five corporate showrooms through-
     GWN: Where does Roman fit into today’s               As his organization grew, the compa-              out the U.S. (Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas,
     digital age?                                      ny evolved into Roman Religious Goods,               Los Angeles and Minneapolis), interna-
     DL: Roman created its wholesale website           Inc., followed by the current Roman, Inc.            tional distributors in Australia and the
     (retailers.roman.com) for retailers to utilize    Product categories expanded into collect-            UK, and a U.S./Canadian sales force dedi-
     seven years ago, and it has been a great          ibles, Christmas, garden and other every-            cated to Roman products and its retailers,
     resource for our customers. Our consumer          day categories over time. Roman purchased            the company is a shining example of the
     information website (roman.com) has been          Cottage Garden Collections, most known for           vitality of the American dream. Roman’s
     around much longer, and just received a face-     their top of the line music boxes and framed         office and warehouse facilities are located in
     lift this summer. We have one of the most         sentiment pieces, in the fall of 2008.               Bloomingdale, IL.

     	                            	           	   	      	        	        	        	        	          	                 SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2011				63



62_63 Roman.indd 63                                                                                                                                     9/28/11 2:21 PM

Gwn spread

  • 1.
    Sharing Sentim T Roman bRings giftwaRe foR celebRations here is a company that seen in the categories you offer? has been part of many DL: In inspirational and gen- laRge and small celebrations over the eral gift products, the design From the Amusements collection years — whether it is for and quality of the merchandise Christmas, a new family mem- continues to get better. When ber, a good friendship or even holes are created in the mar- celebrating and enhancing the ketplace, as we’ve seen over the beauty of an outdoor space. past couple of years, you need That company is Roman Inc., to be careful what categories with over 45 years in the indus- you introduce to not get too far try. Giftware News recently talk- from your base. We’ve tried a ed with Roman President Dan few new categories, and some Loughman about the company, have worked and some haven’t. its products and what he sees for Roman purchased Cottage the company’s future. Garden a few years ago, and this was a great move for both com- Part of the Joseph Studio Giftware News: What is the panies. Cottage Garden music Collection origin of the name Roman? boxes fit extremely well with the Dan Loughman: Roman is rest of Roman’s product line and the first name of our founder’s, sells into the same retailer base. Ron Jedlinski’s, father. Roman Customers still like the tra- Jedlinski owned a religious goods ditional Christmas look. They From the popular Glitterdome store in Chicago, and Jedlinski want angels and Santas in reds, collection began his company selling prod- greens and ivorys; not every- uct to other retailers out of the thing can be whimsy. We have back of his father’s store. When had success with LED lighted it was time to actually give his products and, of course, our business a name, Jedlinski chose Fontanini and Joseph’s Studio “Roman Religious Goods” in nativities. tribute to his father. It has since Even during a recession, our been shortened to the current retailers still see Roman offering “Roman.” big ticket items as people will continue looking for detailed, GWN: Where do you see your high quality product. For exam- company in the marketplace — ple, many of this year’s best what is your niche? selling items retail for $79.99 DL: I see Roman continuing to and above. serve the general gift and the inspirational markets. One of GWN: What are some of your Roman’s greatest assets is our best-selling products? diverse product line we can offer DL: With our diverse brands, we to customers. It offers us protec- have best selling products in sev- tion when the market has its eral unrelated categories, such Dan Loughman, president and chief execu- various ups and downs (i.e. if as Christmas, garden, babyand tive officer Christmas is down, general gift inspirational, among others. could be up to offset it). GWN: So Roman has several GWN: What changes have you brands that it offers? 62 GIFTWARE NEWS giftwarenews.com 62_63 Roman.indd 62 9/28/11 2:20 PM
  • 2.
    ment A painting depicts where it all began By Barbara Wujcik From the New Baby collection DL: Correct. In Christmas, we do extremely comprehensive websites for our sales force well with Glitterdomes, Acrylics and our to use to give them information to better From Fontanini, a 103-year old brand Amusements, which are lighted, mechanical service our customers. We have put a good and musical tabletop items. Our 103-year-old amount of effort into our Facebook page to Fontanini brand has the widest selection of provide another avenue for information on nativities and nativity figures in the market. programs and new introductions. Our Joseph’s Studio brand was created only five or six years ago and is now a major player GWN: We hear you have an upcoming cel- in general Christmas, nativities, garden and ebration on the horizon? is the number one inspirational figure line DL: Yes, Roman will be celebrating its 50 in the market. Our general giftware brand year anniversary in 2013. I’m very proud still contains some of the most traditional of the fact that Roman has evolved over and best selling inspirational product in the the years and stood the test of time while company. This gets supplemented each year some other companies haven’t been able to. with hundreds of new baby, wedding and Hopefully, my wife, Julie, and I will be able everyday items. to pass this company along to our children For Cottage Garden, the new digital music for them to celebrate the 75th and 100th boxes have been a huge hit, and the tradi- anniversaries. tional boxes and framed sentiment continue to sell extremely well. Roman, Inc. is a leading producer and exclu- sive distributor of more than 4,000 gifts GWN: How do you attract new customers and decorative accessories. Among the larg- and serve your current market? est privately owned and operated firms in DL: Roman offers good, quality products, and the industry, Roman offers a vast array of that is the best way to attract new customers. Christmas decorations and a wide range of We stick with what Roman is good at and inspirational, special occasion, and year- A ribbon cutting in January celebrating the continually strive to make improvements and round giftware. Roman products are sold new Dallas showroom. innovate. No matter what happens with the through specialty retailers, upscale depart- economy, consumers will celebrate Christmas ment stores, select mail-order catalogs, gift and want gifts with sentiment for other occa- shops and internet sites. While Ron serves as chairman, ownership sions throughout the year. We provide excel- In operation for more than 45 years, and management of the company has passed lent customer service, and Roman is consis- Roman is the inspiration of Ron Jedlinski. onto the next generation of the Jedlinski tently ranked in the top 10 for our customer His business was born in 1963 with $500 family. His daughter, Julie and her husband, service in retailer surveys. Customer service and an old station wagon full of inspira- Dan Loughman, are co-owners and serve is all about people — from the salesman tional products. He quickly carved his niche on the Family Board. Dan Loughman is the that takes the order, to the coordinator that in the religious articles and giftware mar- company’s president and chief executive offi- answers retailers’ questions over the phone, ketplace and subsequently expanded into cer. Julie’s mother, Diane, also serves on the to the packer on the line boxing up the order. wedding, anniversary, baby, christening and Family Board. retirement products. With five corporate showrooms through- GWN: Where does Roman fit into today’s As his organization grew, the compa- out the U.S. (Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas, digital age? ny evolved into Roman Religious Goods, Los Angeles and Minneapolis), interna- DL: Roman created its wholesale website Inc., followed by the current Roman, Inc. tional distributors in Australia and the (retailers.roman.com) for retailers to utilize Product categories expanded into collect- UK, and a U.S./Canadian sales force dedi- seven years ago, and it has been a great ibles, Christmas, garden and other every- cated to Roman products and its retailers, resource for our customers. Our consumer day categories over time. Roman purchased the company is a shining example of the information website (roman.com) has been Cottage Garden Collections, most known for vitality of the American dream. Roman’s around much longer, and just received a face- their top of the line music boxes and framed office and warehouse facilities are located in lift this summer. We have one of the most sentiment pieces, in the fall of 2008. Bloomingdale, IL. SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2011 63 62_63 Roman.indd 63 9/28/11 2:21 PM