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Furniture Industry Archives
Advertising ➔ Newsletter, Rose Johnson Journal
Identifier:
1990.15.14dDescription:
Articles on staff, product lines, and company projects. including updates on a building rennovation and Timber-Line designs.Date:
April 1985Materials:
PaperCurrent Location Status:
In StorageCollection Tier:
Tier 2Related Entity:
RoseJohnson Incorporated (creator)Alternate names: Rose Johnson Furniture Company
COMPANY HISTORY
1980: Johnson Furniture Co. and Rose Manufacturing Co. merge to form RoseJohnson, Inc., while maintaining separate product line and manufacturing facilities.
1983: Individual operations fully merge into one.
1986: RoseJohnson is acquired by La-Z-Boy Chair Co. of Monroe, Michigan.
1993: RoseJohnson name is dropped; company becomes part of “La-Z-Boy Contract Furniture Group”.
PERSONNEL
James Van Oosten, chairman of the board for predecessor company Johnson Furniture Co., became the chair of RoseJohnson after the merger. Though Van Oosten sold the company in 1986, he stayed on as company president.
PRODUCTS
One of the first large contracts awarded to the new company in 1980 was for wooden office systems for the Playboy Enterprises executive offices in New York. By 1986 the now fully merged RoseJohnson dropped the “Timberline” hotel/motel line of predecessor company Johnson, to concentrate on the production of its wooden “RJ Office Systems” for executives, “Progressions” panels for use with free-standing office furniture, “Progressions+” work stations for all office levels, “RJ Chairs,” and contracts for other manufacturers including cabinets for Rowe International jukeboxes.
OTHER SOURCES
The Grand Rapids Public Museum owns archival collections relating to Rose-Johnson and its various successor companies.
MARKS AND LABELS
A red rose, the old trademark of predecessor company Rose Manufacturing, was used as a trademark on Progressions and Progressions+ furniture between 1980 and 1983. The RJ Office System line was represented by an upper case “R” minus its upright portion, and stylized “J”. The Timber Line was represented by an overlapping “TL” in script, with a large red circle. During this same period the company trademark consisted of the name “ROSE. JOHNSON/INCORPORATED” on a decorative plaque. After 1983 the trademark became the name “RoseJohnson” in a serif font. The RoseJohnson name is dropped in favor of “La-Z-Boy Business Furniture”.
