Shedding new light on a holiday tradition

When the lights are turned on at Brite Star Manufacturing Co.'s South Philadelphia showroom, the reindeer come alive, bobbing their wire heads. Even during the summer heat at this family-owned producer and importer of holiday decorations, sleighs and carriages sparkle in the magical glow. A Santa figurine winks gleefully at the trumpeting angels, animated snowmen and glittering stars —a promise that December's merriment is right around the corner.

“The most interesting misconception is that our business is seasonal,” says company president Judy Kinderman, who handles public relations and consumer support. “But we work year-round. People don't grasp that and think we must work a couple months before Christmas, and then the season is over.”

“We know that if we don't start product development in time, we won't be ready,” adds her son Richard, 28, the executive vice president, who manages marketing and operations. Product development at Brite Star actually begins -several years before each season. The company's Philadelphia shop manufactures its tinsel, icicles, garlands and other products on a daily basis, year-round, with double shifts during the run-up to Christmas. Factories in China and Hong Kong produce Brite Star's light sets, illuminated wire-frame sculptures, artificial trees and ornaments.

Richard, a graduate of the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, had anticipated joining the company when he was older—after pursuing his real estate interests. But, in 2003, his father, Sandy—Brite Star's chairman, known as the “Tinsel King”—was diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (Lou Gehrig's disease) and asked Richard to help in the business. “Circumstances brought me into the business,” Richard reflects. “But I think, at some point, I would have been ready to join.”

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For the first year, Sandy asked Richard to keep his suggestions to himself; looking back, Richard now realizes his father was right. “You have to understand the culture, product, and business before you can make contributions effectively,” he says. “As things transitioned, I took more responsibility.”

Sandy worked throughout his illness even when disabled, contacting employees in Philadelphia and Asia from home until he died at age 62 in March 2006. He continued to work as passionately as he did before his illness—often through the night into the early morning.

Judy remained by his side when he could still come to the office and while he worked at home. She says that, de-spite several difficult years, he managed to stay involved in the business and controlled -everything—an inspiration to colleagues and friends.

“When my son was growing up, we weren't certain that he would carry the business on,” Judy says. “So when he did get involved, it was wonderful to see him show the same passion that his father had.”

“Maybe it was the light and bright colors,” Richard says. “It's a fun business, so it was easier for me to make a commitment.”

Even so, he says, the industry's seasonal nature poses some challenges.

“If you miss a deadline, you could miss a year's worth of sales,” Richard explains. “It's very stressful but makes the business exciting. Buyers in big retail stores change frequently, so it's harder to make long-term relationships. Everything starts from zero each year. You have to understand where the market is changing to be successful.”

Sandy Kinderman's photo still welcomes visitors in the Philadelphia office's reception area. The period after his death “was difficult for me,” his son acknowledges. “The way I responded was to work a little longer and harder.”

Judy says that her son has matured as Brite Star's main spokesperson during the last few years. “He's taken ownership of the business, which is gratifying for me to see,” she adds. Since her husband's death, Judy has also taken on more responsibilities. She has traveled to Asia alone, for -example.

Brite Star's seed was first planted in 1903, when Richard's great-grandfather, John, purchased bulk merchandise and sold it wholesale. By 1932, the company, now named Brite Star, had begun importing novelty items. In the 1950s, Sandy's father had taken the helm and begun manufacturing tinsel and importing holiday decorations. Sandy joined the company in 1965.

“As Sandy became more involved, he became more passionate about it,” Judy says.

Brite Star moved production overseas years ago—before its competitors did, according to the Kindermans. “We've always been ahead of the curve,” Richard says. “We know when change is happening. That's a big reason we have been successful; we change first, versus last, as the industry and market change.”

With chain stores buying directly from manufacturers in Asia, Brite Star has continued to expand while others have folded. The company's plant in Asia sells products to large U.S. retail chains.

Brite Star's global relationships require Richard to travel to Asia four or five times a year to check on product sourcing and development. “We used to have a full trading partner overseas,” Richard says. “[But] we've taken over the sourcing side of the business, which has opened lots of doors for us.”

Because of the time difference, his cell phone may ring at any time of the day or night. “I don't feel like I'm missing other things,” says Richard, who says he often works 12-hour days. “This, to me, is fun—and important.”

In addition to overseeing Brite Star's Asian operations—which he plans to expand—Richard supervises the company's South Philadelphia plant. Brite Star moved to the former Defense Supply Center, a large gated facility, in 1997.

The Philadelphia shop employs 30 workers, plus additional staff hired during the busy manufacturing season. Many have worked for the company at least 25 or 30 years. One part-time warehouse worker has been with Brite Star for 50 years.

“For some employees, it's a thrill to have worked for Richard's grandfather and father—and now Richard,” Judy says.

Since 1981, the family also has operated Kindy's, a factory outlet store open from November through Christmas. “It was my husband's pride and joy,” Judy says. “He loved seeing shoppers look over decorations, buy his merchandise, take them home and get pleasure from them. He loved walking through retail stores and talking with shoppers, seeing what they put in their carts. With the outlet, he could see the end result of products and was personally involved in every aspect of the business.”

“When I was with my dad as a child, we would stop at every retail store,” Richard remembers. “Then, I didn't really care about it, but now I understand.”

Because customers may curtail their holiday spending when the economy dips, Brite Star must continually innovate to pique shoppers' interest with new designs and products. It has developed a line of energy-efficient light-emitting diode (LED) products, blending new technology with public concern for the environment. For the 2007 holiday season, Richard launched a marketing campaign centering on Christmas nostalgia and redesigned the company's packaging to commemorate Brite Star's 75th -anniversary.

“We took our old icicle packaging, which was our core product in the 1940s, and made it fresh again,” Richard says. “For the first time in many years, the Brite Star brand was placed again in major retailers such as Wal-Mart and Kmart,” Richard says.

Many customers treat their Brite Star wire frame sculptures like collectable ornaments, says Judy, noting the broken-hearted reports she receives of breakage or theft. (Replacement ears, tails and lights are available from the company.)

“We take pride in our products, constantly developing new ways to celebrate and decorate Christmas—while keeping traditions alive and remaining family-oriented,” Judy says. “We've seen decorations displayed locally, nationally and internationally.”

As Brite Star prepares for just the second Christmas season after Sandy Kinderman's death, “We're a different company already,” Richard says. “I think my father was trying to direct me on a bigger scale. He wanted to make sure that I was into the business. He taught tradition and passion for what you do. Once you have that, then you're going to be successful.”

“And it doesn't matter if you change things around,” Judy adds.

“As a business model, it's challenging but reassuring that [Christmas] happens every year,” Richard says. “So it doesn't matter what angle you take. I think that's what my dad was trying to guide me on.”

Richard, who still consults some of his father's notes in the company's files, says, “I have a sense of respect for tradition, which ties into our product line. Our sense of family is based around our products. The way that traditions and families succeed is by innovating within them.”

Andrea K. Hammer lives and writes in Wyncote, Pa.

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