Q: Is there a store in the Twin Cities that has dinnerware made in the United States? All I can find are products made in China. Surely there must be a store that carries something that’s U.S.-made.
Looking for china not made in China
Fiestaware is made in West Virginia.
The Minnesota Star Tribune
October 28, 2010 at 5:22PM
A: Fiestaware is made in West Virginia by the Homer Laughlin China Co. and can be found at Macy’s, Kohl’s and Herberger’s. The least expensive place I’ve found it in the Twin Cities is at American Restaurant Supply & Warehouse (8601 73rd Av. N., Suite 5, Brooklyn Park, 612-229-6102). Colors and quantities are limited. Call ahead due to limited hours. Otherwise, wait for a sale at Kohl’s or other retailers.
For something more rustic, try a website such as www.stillmadeinusa.com or www.americans working.com, which list only domestically made products. The sites mention Emerson Creek Pottery, Hartstone Pottery and H.F. Coors China Co.
If you want something more elegant, most Lenox china patterns are made in the United States. Some designers such as Kate Spade, Marchesa and Michael Wainwright have domestic patterns made by Lenox, available through Bloomingdale's and other department or specialty stores.
Power strips and TVs In a recent article about saving money on utilities, I suggested plugging in power-hungry LCD and plasma TVs to a power strip and shutting them off to save on phantom power when a TV or computer is in sleep mode.
One reader said that such savings might be short-lived if you have a different kind of TV with a fan that cools the bulb (a $200 part). By turning off the TV, the power strip and, in effect, the fan, he suggested that the bulb would burn out prematurely, thus negating the savings.
The only TVs sold today that have cooling fans are DLP models, said Doug Mamer of East Lake TV in Minneapolis. LCD, plasma and LED TVs can be safely shut off via a power strip. Anyone with a DLP TV should listen for the fan to shut off in three to five minutes before turning off the power strip.
Anyone with a digital video recorder (DVR) should not shut down the TV with a power strip. Comcast recommends that a cable box not be turned off, although I have done so without any problems. (My cable box does not have a built-in DVR.) The one downside I experienced is a five-minute wait while it reboots.
John Ewoldt • 612-673-7633 or jewoldt@startribune.com. If you spot a deal or have a question, share it at www.startribune.com/blogs/dealspotter.
The Minnetonka-based company has made 14 acquisition deals from Texas and New Mexico to Utah and Ohio.
