IT STARTED MORE THAN 100 YEARS AGO WITH A GROUP OF BUSINESS OWNERS...
...intent on making sure businesses in St. Louis conducted themselves the right way.
It wasn’t quite front-page news either. Stashed away on Page 10 in a February 1917 edition of The St. Louis Post-Dispatch was a notice about the St. Louis Ad Club’s new venture dubbed, the Better Business Bureau. In that first year, 40 businesses provided $264 in revenue to fund the BBB.
Those organizers’ goal was to make St. Louis “a truth center – a shopping town where the square deal is the rule and crooked merchandising brings quick punishment.”
So, here we are 106 years later. The scams have evolved, but BBB’s mission is the same. We strive for an ethical marketplace where buyers and sellers can trust each other.
Thanks to you – the Accredited Businesses and Accredited Charities who support our mission – we are able to serve nearly 5 million people over a 129-county area.
Your support allows us to do many things. First and foremost, we are able to give consumers an accurate report on businesses in our service area. Millions of people turn to our website at BBB.org every year to access business profiles, which allow consumers to make an informed choice when it comes to spending their hard-earned money. The BBB St. Louis region tracks nearly 150,000 business profiles.
As an Accredited Business, your profile stands apart because consumers can see that your company has been evaluated and has committed to meeting BBB’s Standards for Trust. That Accreditation also provides your business with a badge of trust: The BBB Accredited Business seal. Consumers go to BBB to find businesses they can trust, and your Accreditation gives you a competitive advantage.
We are also able to carry out investigations that help ensure an ethical marketplace for consumers and businesses alike. BBB St. Louis is one of five BBBs who fund an International Investigations Initiative, which issues educational studies on important topics including puppy scams and romance scams. Closer to home, your funding helps BBB conduct investigations to create a better marketplace on a local level. Our office regularly issues consumer warnings on questionable business practices in our region. We also have issued local studies on the vacation timeshare and vehicle service contract industries.
It takes collaborative effort to stop fraud. The St. Louis Consumer Fraud Task Force, hosted by BBB, has met quarterly over the past 20 years to discuss problems and solutions. Representatives include the Federal Trade Commission, FBI, IRS, United States Postal Inspection Service, U.S. Department of Justice, St. Louis city police and the attorney general’s offices for Missouri and Illinois. Alongside criminal prosecutions, joint educational efforts help protect consumers from fraud.
WANT BUSINESS NEWS IN YOUR INBOX?
Scan the QR code if you are not receiving BBB’s weekly email newsletter. Sign up to receive:
• Current business news
• Consumer trends and analyses
• Exclusive BBB tips for Accredited Businesses
Finally, your support enables us to provide resources that help you serve your customers with integrity. The BBB Toolbox and Get a Quote services bring customers directly to you, and those customers know that they’re working with a trusted business. BBB’s Customer Review Generator prompts your customers to leave transparent feedback about their experience with your business. BBB conducts regular polling that gives our Accredited Businesses insight into consumers’ expectations. And of course, you’re able to use the BBB Seal –the clear sign of a better business – to show customers how you operate with trust.
All of this work furthers our vision: An ethical marketplace where buyers and sellers can trust each other.
But it’s not just your funding that makes this vision possible – it’s your constant commitment to BBB’s Standards for Trust, the guiding principles that make for a better marketplace. Your actions every day are part of what makes our service area a great place to live and do business.
For this reason, we take time to recognize those businesses which demonstrate highly ethical behavior and provide exceptional service. For more than 45 years, BBB has honored top businesses with the BBB TORCH Awards.
In this issue, you’ll read about Accredited Businesses, both new and old, throughout the region. You’ll learn why businesses have decided to join the growing ranks of the Accredited and why those who have long-lasting relationships with BBB continue to support our mission, which is to be the leader in advancing marketplace trust.
Whether you’ve been Accredited for a short time or have been supporting BBB’s mission for decades, like many of you have, we thank you for that support. Without you, we couldn’t do what we’ve done for more than a century.
Michelle Corey
President & CEO, CAE
Board of Directors
Carolyn Beard
Callier & Thompson
Kitchen Bath Appliance
Blake Birner
Renewal by Andersen
Don Brown
Don Brown Chevrolet
Angela Courtwright More for Less
Remodeling
Terri DeMent
Nestlé Purina
Jill Falk
Schnuck Markets
Joe Fisher
DH Pace Company, Inc.
Holly Francois Maritz
Tom Gershman
Gershman Mortgage
Seth Goldkamp
Design Aire
Heating & Cooling
Katie Hopkins Truck Centers, Inc.
Carlos Huddleston
Gonzalez Companies
Greg Kendall Commerce Bank
* Chairman of the Board
** Immediate Past Chair *** AAF St. Louis
**** President & CEO
Justin Lee** RubinBrown
Tom Linhares
Dodge Moving & Storage
Ben Lynch
Ameren MO
Rose McDaniel Graybar
Stefan Sigurdson
Allen Roofing & Siding
Heidi Singleton*** New Honor Society
Todd Smith
Waterway Carwash
Katie Statler* Caleres
Ben Stegmann
Second Mile Service Company
Mary Schwartz Westerhold
Madison Communications
Aaron Windholz McBride Homes
Adriane Yates
Spire
Michelle L. Corey**** Better Business Bureau
Better Business Bureau Serving Eastern & Southwest Missouri & Southern Illinois 211 N. Broadway, Ste. 2060
St. Louis, MO 63102
Phone: (314) 645-3300
Fax: (314) 645-2666
Hannah Kloppenburg, Editor
Email: hkloppenburg@stlouisbbb.org
Cover photo by David Russom
Torchlight (ISSN 1547-2043 USPS 053-540) is published quarterly by Better Business Bureau, 211 N. Broadway, Ste. 2060, St. Louis, MO 63102. Subscriptions are available to BBB Accredited Businesses only. Periodicals Postage Paid at St. Louis, MO. Postmaster please send change of address to: Torchlight, Better Business Bureau, 211 N. Broadway, Ste. 2060, St. Louis, MO 63102.
EMBODYING TRUST THEN AND NOW
The world has changed since the idea for BBB St. Louis first took root in 1917, but many of the reasons to be a BBB Accredited Business have stayed the same.
As the marketplace has evolved over the decades, the need to connect consumers with trustworthy businesses has remained constant. BBB has evolved its services, too, to continue building an ethical marketplace where businesses and customers can trust one another. We asked seven Accredited Businesses, old and new, to share their business’ story and why they stand with BBB in their commitment to marketplace trust. Across industries and generations, they listed similar values – trust, family, integrity, building a strong reputation and good customer service – proving that BBB’s Standards for Trust stand the test of time.
Thompson Sales Co.
Springfield, MO - BBB Accredited Since 1934
*Pictured on cover
One of Missouri’s longest-running auto dealerships began not with cars, but with tires. In 1919, George M. Thompson, Sr. ventured into the Springfield business community as Thompson-Racine Tire Co. The company grew quickly, taking on more tire brands and in 1928, the retail license for Cadillac.
Today, Thompson Sales focuses on used cars and new Buick, GMC and Cadillac cars at their 14-acre Springfield facility. Five generations of family have kept Thompson Sales running like a well-maintained engine, and right now three generations work there.
Dealer principal George “Miles” Thompson IV feels that the company’s experienced staff are second to none. “We get the best ideas around here from the people who work here... they’re experts in what they do,” he says.
Now in its 104th year of business, Thompson Sales is committed to values BBB shares: Trust, integrity and customer service. “I’ve worked with my family since I started cleaning cars in high school. My uncle Lynn Thompson and father George Thompson showed me the way to treat your customers and treat your employees the way you want to be treated,” Thompson explains.
The company extends that value to the community, supporting local charities and schools. Many staff have been with Thompson Sales for decades, and many customers are repeat visitors. “We want customers to see the same faces. People buy cars from people they like and trust,” says Thompson.
At 89 years, Thompson Sales is one of BBB St. Louis’ longest-accredited businesses. Thompson says that BBB Accreditation signals his family’s and company’s reputation – a critical factor, especially for people who are buying a car. “It’s a stressful time for people, and there’s always businesses out there that have bad names,” he says. “[BBB Accreditation] shows customers and the community how you do business.”
Miles Thompson, dealer principal at Thompson Sales Co., with historical photos of the business and family members.
Reputation must also be backed by action – Thompson says the team does customer satisfaction training and monitors feedback daily.
Springfield has, of course, grown and changed over the last century. Thompson feels BBB Accreditation will continue to help Thompson Sales build trust with customers, even with years of reputation in the rearview mirror.
“People move into town all the time. You can’t take it for granted that everyone knows you’ve been around for 104 years,” he says. “You always have to be out there marketing yourself and letting them know that you’re a good actor.” A century of success boils down to trust, Thompson concludes: “We want to be that place that they can go to and know that we can get their family home safe.”
Jackman’s Fabrics
St. Louis, MO - BBB Accredited Since 1960
St. Louis-based Jackman’s Fabrics is a paradise for quilting and sewing enthusiasts across the Midwest. Now celebrating its 120th year in business and approaching its 63rd year of BBB Accreditation, Jackman’s has been owned and operated by the same family for five generations.
“Our business has changed, but what has stayed the same is our customer service,” says Amy Jackman-Green, president. “You can’t be around for 120 years without good customer service.”
“My great-grandfather said the customer is always right, even when they’re wrong,” she laughs.
The Jackman family’s journey began when Phillip Jackman arrived in St. Louis to set up for the 1904 World’s Fair. It has
taken them from their original Washington Ave. storefront to two current-day superstores in Creve Coeur and Fairview Heights. Jackman’s focuses on quilting – stunning sample quilts wave from the store’s ceiling like banners – but their vast inventory includes supplies for many types of sewing, and they’re one of the top 10 Baby Lock brand sewing machine dealers in the nation.
To bring in quilting and sewing enthusiasts from St. Louis and beyond, Jackman’s offers classes, lessons and events, including multi-day affairs with national-scale speakers. Their employees sew, quilt or embroider themselves, and can help customers plan projects or choose the right supplies. “We teach everything we sell,” Jackman-Green explains. “You get education that’s lacking when you buy from an internet business.”
Jackman-Green’s father, Richard Jackman, was president when Jackman’s Fabrics became BBB Accredited. Jackman-Green feels that both then and now, BBB Accreditation has helped communicate the commitment to ethical business and customer service she, her family and their team have maintained for decades.
“There’s a higher standard of customer service when you say you’re BBB Accredited,” she explains. “That higher level speaks volumes because a consumer who may not know you will see that, especially ours with the A+, and say ‘oh wow, they must be a great company. They’re going to stand by what they say, they’re going to stand by what they sell, they’re going to back their business.” She says that the BBB Seal shows customers “that we are a trusted business and that we will stand behind all the values that the BBB also holds.”
Then, now and in the future, Jackman-Green says, it comes back to one word: “It’s trust. Trust that if something does go wrong, we will make it right. No false advertising, no misleading customers... We are here to help.”
The Jackman’s Fabrics team poses with quilts at the company’s Creve Couer location.
4Cuzns’ Event Planning & Catering
St. Louis/East St. Louis Metro - BBB Accredited Since 2023
Founded by four first cousins, 4Cuzns’ Event Planning & Catering has been making dreams come true for clients in the STL metro area since 2015. After years of planning family events, the cousins decided to combine their unique talents into a business. Now, Mary L. Anthony, Phyllis Moran, Jeanette Green and Anita Mitchell-Johnson plan personalized events of all kinds, with weddings as their specialty.
4Cuzns’ say that what sets them apart are Moran’s unique Wishing Well gift boxes, which are personalized to the client’s theme and give guests a place to leave gift cards, notes and other well wishes. The cousins agree that a focus on family is key to their success: “Grandchildren, nieces, nephews, sisters, brothers, we all work together when we have an event to decorate, serve or prepare,” Anthony says.
When Anthony first looked into BBB Accreditation for 4Cuzns’, she thought about what she usually does when she’s looking for a trustworthy new business: She goes to BBB to see their reputation and rating. She says that BBB Accreditation aligns with 4Cuzns’ policy of honesty and clear communication. “We guarantee our quotes, and they don’t change unless they add something to it... That’s integrity to me,” Anthony says. “It’s fair to the customer to be up front with everything we can do.”
Visionworks
Marketing
Group
Columbia, MO - BBB Accredited Since 2023
Visionworks Marketing Group joined BBB with a strong foundation of trust already in place. Lili Vianello, Top Dog, says Visionworks builds partnerships with “Good businesses that need help getting from where they are to where they should be.”
Visionworks began as a graphic design shop in 1995 and has since become a full-service marketing agency. The firm works with clients across industries, including many construction and faith-based organizations. They offer services including consulting, training, traditional media and new media: “If there’s something you need relating to marketing, we can help get it done,” Vianello says.
Vianello says that Visionworks first became interested in BBB Accreditation when one of their clients received a BBB TORCH Award for Ethics. “Our trade area is too small to not have good ethics in business,” she says. “I’d want to do that anyway, of course. But treating people right, erring on the side of the customer, doing our best: those all align with the BBB philosophy, and I thought we’d be a good fit.”
An expert in branding, Vianello knows the impact the BBB seal can have: “It speaks to reputation and credibility,” she says. “We often provide references to a new prospect or new client. It’s just another seal of confidence.”
Ultimately, BBB Accreditation aligns well with the values of a business that’s long operated with integrity. “Ethical standards relate to how I deal with clients, vendors and employees,” Vianello says. “It’s woven into all elements.”
Abney Windows & Doors
Pittsfield, IL - BBB Accredited Since 2023
For Abney Windows & Doors, a longstanding partnership built on trust led to the continued success of a family-owned business. Ron Abney founded Abney Windows & Doors in 1980. In 2019, he chose to retire and sell the business to current owner Josh Edgar, who purchased windows from Abney for his construction company, J. Edgar Inc. Since then, Edgar has operated Abney Windows & Doors in tandem with J. Edgar Inc., lately focusing on sales to homeowners and contractors.
He feels that what makes Abney Windows & Doors stand out is quality product at an affordable price. It’s also about honesty and integrity, Edgar says: “When you buy our product, we stand behind it.” In the past, Edgar has personally fixed issues that arose after a project was complete.
J. Edgar Inc. has been BBB Accredited since 2018, and Edgar recently chose to accredit both sides of his business. “Accreditation sets you apart from other people,” he says. He hopes that BBB Accreditation communicates the values he already holds for his business: Honesty, integrity, quality.
“In our line of work, cutting corners is a big thing,” Edgar explains. Therefore, what sets a high integrity business apart: “It’s doing what you know you’re supposed to do in the small things.”
Left to right: Phyllis Moran, Mary Anthony and Jeanette Green.
Lili Vianello. Photo courtesy of Sarah Jane Photography.
Left to right: Vanessa Edgar, Josh Edgar and Kenny Patrick.
Market in the Park
Rogersville, MO - BBB Accredited Since 2023
Thanks to Bailey Tennis’ hard work, Market in the Park is here to stay. Tennis first became involved with the market in Rogersville City Park as a vendor for her business Burlap & Glitter. When the previous organizer left in 2022, she knew the community would miss out. “I didn’t want to see the market go away,” she says.
Since then, Tennis has spearheaded six events, including a Back-To-School Bash, participation in the October Harvest Festival and a “Beat the Heat” event (where attendees get to trash a totaled car donated by a local business).
According to Tennis, trust-based partnerships with vendors, businesses and the Rogersville Area Chamber of Commerce make the events go round. All profits go toward future events, and donations ensure free activities for kids.
The market abides by BBB’s standards of honesty and transparency. “I’m completely up front with people when I’m getting sponsorships: This is what you’re paying for, this is what you’re getting in return. I’m able to tell them exactly where their money’s going,” she explains.
Tennis says that BBB Accreditation helps verify her business. She uses Facebook for most of her marketing and frequently sees scams – a scammer once stole a booth fee from one of her vendors. “Having that symbol helps people know that I’m the only one helping with this event, and to not send anyone else their information,” Tennis says.
Looking forward,
“I think it will be beneficial for people to see that I’ve been Accredited for so long and that they can trust me with their business,” Tennis says.
Essner’s Custom Butchering
Scott City, MO - BBB Accredited Since 2023
Since Denise and Tony Essner bought their business from Tony’s parents in 2015, they’ve personally handled nearly every piece of meat that goes on their shelves.
“There’s something to customers knowing the people who have cut, packaged and touched their meat that they feel comfort in. Every time they come in, everything will be cut and seasoned exactly the same,” says co-owner Denise Essner.
Essner’s Custom Butchering has been providing beef, pork and chicken for both retail and custom processing in southeastern Missouri since 1983. In 2020, Essner’s obtained a grant to become a state-inspected facility, allowing them to sell wholesale and buy equipment to streamline production. They haven’t lost their personalized touch, though. “We pay a lot of attention and detail to packaging, appearance and quality,” Essner says.
During the pandemic, supply chain issues at big box stores caused a boom in Essner’s’ business. Since then, they’ve noticed more consumers wanting to shop local for a more personalized experience.
This was part of their motivation to become BBB Accredited: “These customers want to know that we are a good-standing business. We’ll back our product and do what we say we’ll do,” she says. “Accreditation gives our customers that extra knowledge – it’s not just us saying it, but BBB is backing us also.” BBB
Bailey Tennis.
Students took part in a school supply giveaway at Market in the Park’s Back to School Bash event.
Left to right: Tony and Denise Essner.
The Essner’s team processes meat that will later go to people across the region.
“ WHAT’S A CHALLENGE YOU FACED IN YOUR FIRST FEW YEARS IN BUSINESS...
“During our early years in business, our biggest challenge was handling rapid growth and staffing. We were enthusiastic about the demand and capturing a larger market share, but it certainly threw us some curveballs! Our growth phase resembled a rollercoaster ride - thrilling yet full of surprises. We suddenly had to step up our game to meet the demand for our services. It was like trying to capture lightning in a bottle.
But the real kicker? Finding the right people to join our team was akin to searching for a unicorn. Recruiting and retaining top-notch tradesmen who shared our company values and vision? It was no walk in the park.
So, how did we tackle these challenges?
• Game Plan: We devised and executed a growth strategy with short and long-term objectives. This strategic roadmap kept us on course amidst the maze of possibilities.
• Equipment: We invested in the necessary tools and equipment to handle the demand without breaking a sweat. Think faster supply chains, exceptional customer service, and streamlined operations.
• Talent Hunt: We got creative when advertising job openings. Additionally, we doubled down on training to ensure our team could adapt to changes to our current services and meet future demand.
• Money Matters: We kept a close eye on our finances to ensure steady growth. This involved realistic budgeting, managing cash flow, and seeking external funding when needed.
• Flexibility FTW: We remained highly adaptable and open to shifts in our business. As we grew, we adjusted our strategies based on customer and team feedback.
Overcoming these challenges required a deep commitment to the business, industry expertise, and an optimistic outlook, especially when things got tough.
It wasn’t a one-time fix; rather, it involved continuous fine-tuning. However, by giving challenges our full attention and staying committed to our game plan, we established a strong foundation for future success.”
- Blake Vaught, Owner, Cedar Creek Plumbing
“Our business is in a different situation than many businesses. We are a 5-generation business started in 1899 as a typical small town lumberyard. In the 1960’s we changed our business to the sale of pre-engineered buildings primarily in the Midwest and then into the Northeast, now we are nationwide.
I will comment on running the business since I became president of the company in the 80’s. The federal government is our biggest challenge from change in interest rates to excess government regulation on our suppliers and on our customers and of course the Covid restrictions. The change in government policy may mean we are extremely busy, as an example extra low interest rates to the hangover today of high interest rates with slow sales.
Bottom line, any owner needs to be extremely flexible with manpower, advertising, competitive pricing and many other nuances in order for a company to remain profitable.”
- Mark Stratmann, President, Strat-O-Span Buildings Inc.
...AND HOW DID YOU OVERCOME
IT?
