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The roots of Kindel begin with Charles J. Kindel and his founding of the C.J. Kindel Bedding Company in 1904. By patenting a number of convertible bed products, he set firmly the foundation of Kindel in the furniture business. In 1912 he moved the company to Grand Rapids, Michigan where it continues today to design and create some of the finest furniture in the world. Through some fortunate acquisitions and business decisions, as well as welcoming his son to the company, Charles Kindel transitioned the business to eventually be called the Kindel Furniture Company. His son Chuck had trained in notable furniture-making companies in both Grand Rapids and England, and along with his sibling Tom, succeeded their father in leading the business. As is true for so many storied, long-standing companies, Kindel navigated economic fluctuations, world wars, social changes, and a variety of lifestyle trends with energy and grace. Over the years, the company has preserved a stalwart commitment to traditional styles, and the hand-carving, bench-assembly, and hand-finishing that makes articles of Kindel furniture truly distinctive. While honing throughout their history their expertise in traditional American furniture designs, Kindel also has been favored with licenses from globally prestigious institutions such as the Henry Francis du Pont Winterthur Museum, and the Irish Georgian Society, Varney & Sons Collection which includes the Dorothy Draper Collection, and Mount Vernon. The collections Kindel has reproduced from these venerable originals are line-for-line copies using the same primary and secondary materials. Entering the 1960s, the Kindel family era was drawing to a close. The company was purchased by another renowned American business family, the Fisher family of Muncie, Indiana. John W. Fisher has served as the chairman of the Ball Corporation, and now he and his son — James Fisher — continue to own and lead Kindel into an increasingly promising future.
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