The Longaberger Company to Open New Factory Store March 15

NEWARK, Ohio, March 2 /PRNewswire/ -- The Longaberger Company, known for handcrafted baskets and other high-quality home and lifestyle products, announced today that it will open the new Longaberger Factory Store on March 15.

The Factory Store marks the first time in the company's 34-year history that it will sell handcrafted baskets and other "retired and revered" products to the public through a retail venue. The Longaberger name and its rich American craft tradition have great appeal among collectors around the country. To help commemorate the opening, the first 1,000 visitors to the Factory Store will receive a special gift worth $10.

"This is a landmark event for Longaberger to open our vault of 'retired and revered' products to the public as part of our overall strategy to provide our Home Consultants the opportunity to sell and earn commission at home shows, at our destination retail venues, and ultimately online," said Jim Klein, president of The Longaberger Company.

"The Factory Store will draw more guests and encourage more people to become Home Consultants because of the increased earning opportunity."

Longaberger will offer a broad product mix at the Factory Store, ranging from handcrafted baskets, fabrics and wrought iron to pottery and one-of-a- kind prototypes that never have been available for purchase. In addition, seasonal favorites, such as holiday items, and Factory Store exclusives will be included. Hundreds of thousands of items will be available for purchase at discount prices.

"Last year, more than 300,000 guests came to us, and with the opening of our first Factory Store, we expect more than 500,000 guests in 2007. We know there is tremendous demand for our retired and revered products, and we are finally opening our vault to the public and for the benefit of the valued Home Consultants."

The Factory Store will be located on the company's Homestead Campus in its basketmaking facility in Frazeysburg, Ohio.

"Our Factory Store is much more than a store; it is an experience that captures the essence of our tradition," Klein said. "Guests will be immersed in the sights and sounds of our Basketmakers applying their craft."

The Factory Store will be among other well-known Longaberger destinations that draw visitors from throughout the United States. Those include its signature seven-story "Basket" headquarters in Newark, Ohio; the Longaberger Homestead's retail, dining, and shopping experience in Frazeysburg, Ohio; tours of its basketmaking facility and Make A Basket opportunity in Frazeysburg; and the Longaberger Golf Club, a public course in Nashport, Ohio, that has earned accolades as among the best public courses in Ohio and the nation.

Guests can take a short stroll or shuttle between the Factory Store and the Homestead, which also opens March 15. Factory Store hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday and noon to 5 p.m. Sunday.

Longaberger also is taking its guest experience on the road with Basket Fests at the sites of other great American partners, including Jelly Belly in Fairfield, Calif., from February 23 to March 4, Williamsburg from June 1 to 10 and Boyds Bears in Gettysburg from August 17 to 26.

Founded in 1973, The Longaberger Company (http://www.longaberger.com/) is America's premier maker of handcrafted baskets and offers a variety of other home and lifestyle products, including pottery and other tableware, wrought iron, fabric accessories, jewelry, handbags and specialty foods. There are approximately 55,000 independent Home Consultants located in all U.S. states and in Canada who sell Longaberger products directly to customers.