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The History of Books of Love Inc.In 1983, Judith Bond was a 37 year-old divorced mother of two, living in a small town in central Florida. She began looking for a way to support her two children without having to travel nationally with art and craft shows as she had been doing for two years. In an attempt to create a product that was unique and affordable, she and her mother, Bernyce Bond, adapted a craft item that had been around for over a hundred years. They began putting poetry on the pages of old books that had been stiffened and antiqued and started showing them along with her paintings at local craft shows.At one point, people began requesting poems about their family members, sisters, parents, etc. As Judy began thinking about her own family members, she began writing her f  eelings down and putting them on the pages of Books of Love, the name for the gift books she was
producing on her kitchen table. Finally, with $1500 in cash and two credit
cards they rented a little 20'X 40' shop where they even re-shingled the
roof in order to move the business in. As she continued to write
about her family and friends, it became apparent that people had things to
say to their loved ones and that they were using these books and poems to say it.
Eventually, two buyers for a large greeting card chain saw Books of Love at a craft show near Orlando, Fla., and asked about purchasing them for twelve of their stores. This would require the hiring of their first real "employees" (two personal friends) and a wholesale gift manufacturing company was born. One of these employees is still working for Books of Love, the other having moved away. Over the years, most of their employees were mothers of young children who appreciated the fact that Judy and Bernyce would allow them to take work home on the days when their children were sick or home from school. Soon, the time came, as it does in most successful but under-capitalized small businesses that there were so many orders for Books of Love that the company could afford to buy the raw materials, but couldn’t afford to pay the overtime to have the books made. These same employees cooperated and worked with the company to make it possible to fill all of the orders on time. It was at this time that Books of Love became a small-business success story and it has grown and thrived since then with the addition of many new poems, art-work and products. In 1986, Judy had the idea of super-imposing the poetry on prints and framing them, thus bringing about the company that came to be called Frames of Mind. At this point Books of Love and the company known as Frames of Mind have become one, still known as Books of Love. The entire frame line may now be found here as well. This also led up to many novel ways to present the poetry and artwork of Judith Bond, the latest of which is a picture frame line called Personally Yours - a frame containing family and inspirationally inspired verses along with allowing the touch of a favorite photo. In all the years since its inception, the driving forces behind the company that was known as Books of Love, Inc. had been honesty and ethics in business relations, and a loving respect for family. In 2008 BOL Productions LLC purchased Books of Love Inc. and hopes to carry on those feelings along with many new fine quality products. There are currently seven different products now being manufactured by BOL Productions LLC. This company hopes to continue to bring loving sentimental gifts to people who appreciate their friends and families for many years to come. | |
