I’d never heard of Longaberger before! I just looked at them online and I am in love with the ceramics.
I have a large longaberger basket in my bathroom. I keep washcloths in it.
I have a few ceramic things I received as gifts…a pie plate I love, a soup mug, and a coffee mug.
Hmmmm…wonder if I spent more on Longaberger baskets or beanie babies… 
At one point I probably had maybe 15-20 of them…some bought new, some we found at garage sales. But again, I did use them all for a purpose! When the kids were little we stored some of their blocks, legos, doll stuff in them. I have one next to me right now that is a tall narrow one with a double handle that has an insert to make it for upright files and then an organizer on top for pens, paper clips, etc. It’s handy! I used to use it to keep magazines and stuff in to take when I was doing a lot of car driving with the kids, waiting at sports practices,etc. Now it keeps my gardening magazines, plans, etc.
I have a magazine holder…but I actually keep it in my powder room filled with extra rolls of toilet paper (pedestal sink…no storage). I also have one of the Christmas baskets in my family room…filled with magazines.
I really do use baskets.
I have two breadbaskets I still use. The plastic liners are long gone and I tossed the country cloth liners on day one.
I don’t know if any of you have seen the headquarters for the company, but it is a building designed like a basket, and was supposedly designed by some Disney architects.
Apparently the family made tons of money, because I saw a house being built by the daughter or one of the daughters somewhere east of Newark, OH, or Nerk, as they pronounce it up there. It looked like two three-story hotels built side-by-side. I think it had 40,000 square feet. It was a true monstrosity, one of the ugliest things I’ve ever seen.
This Wikipedia link has a photo of the headquarters as well as other info:
https://www.google.com/search?q=longaberger+basket+headquarters&safe=off&biw=1280&bih=609&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&sqi=2&ved=0ahUKEwjC9fTHgMTJAhVDRCYKHddFAPYQ_AUICCgD#imgrc=3J3YrJLUBxqQ_M%3A
My sister and sister in law have at least 30 baskets each, and they still use and display all of them. They used to make roadtrips to Dresden. I have between 15-20 but they are not all out on display – they used to look good with my golden oak woodwork in the 1990s but I have moved since then. Longaberger doesn’t really go with the Pottery Barn look that is popular today.
I have the coffee mugs – they are great.
Don’t forget that Longaberger also sold accessories for their baskets. I have tossed the cloth garters, wood inserts, and cloth liners. .
My SIL has a huge Longaberger garbage basket in her kitchen. My largest basket is called the corn basket, but I have market baskets of varying sizes as well. I liked the bread basket because it was the perfect size for CDs.
Wow, I’ve never heard of this brand and doing a Google image search rings no bells for me either. I wonder if it is a regional thing. Any trend in these baskets totally passed me by!
Me too! At least baskets are functional, unlike Cabbage Patch dolls (or beanies).
I still have several and use them. Particularly the large picnic basket - it’s a classic. And we have a couple on our entry table - one for mail, one for pens/paper/keys. And H and I each have one on our vanities/dressing table for toiletries and stuff. And then I have a few more in storage. To me, they are just so functional. I’m sure if i got a professional decorator in, she would toss them, but until then - still using.
That building is awesome!
To answer the regional question - when and where did you all buy them? I bought them at home parties in the late 1980s - here in the Chicago area - from a friend who has since passed away. I bought them more out of support for her home party, though - I never really thought of them as a big design trend. How about the rest of you?
To be honest, we probably all overpaid, given what they are worth today.
Here in Pennsylvania there were lots of home parties. I wonder if they still do those.
My aunts’ sil started selling Longaberger baskets when they first came out. She was one of the first and made a lot of money (it’s a pyramid selling scheme). Her husband quit his job to work for her and she employed one of her sisters also. They built a large home and a great life. Then the market fell. They lost their home and had to declare bankruptcy. It was very sad. She lives in Ohio.
I was never a huge fan and only have 2 baskets, both were gifts from my mom. I still use one to put bills and pens, office supplies. The other is big and I use it occasionally.
I am assuming that the baskets are not that popular now. I wonder what has happened to the company? Does it still make baskets?
I’ve been to the headquarters made to look like a basket. It’s unique for sure!!
I would say mine we bought mostly in the late 80’s or in the 90’s. I don’t know if they have parties anymore.
The Longaberger Homestead was a huge beautiful decorating department store. It was a piece of heaven visiting when my kids were young and I took a day on my own to visit and shop there. They had everything from baskets, to fabric, curtains, furniture, kitchen items, etc.
On the same property was the manufacturing plant that you could tour - pretty interesting to see all those basket weavers!!!
I got mine at home parties in CT…and a couple more recently at a consignment shop…for a lot less!
I have one hang on a closet door that holds car keys.
I only have one really stupid one…it’s a vase…ridiculous. It looks nice in the summer with sunflowers. I’m thinking it needs to go (has a plastic liner).
^^^A vase?!!!
See, I realize I do still have some in action. I have one that holds my exercise headbands. D2 uses one for the same purpose in her room.
http://seekingalpha.com/article/3244716-can-cvsl-inc-avoid-bankruptcy
CVSL is a holding company of direct selling companies, including Longaberger. Looks like it is in financial trouble.
Got mine at private parties in Southern California.
I just checked their website and it looks like they are still in business.