Paragon

The American Dream is alive and well at Paragon Picture Gallery, Albertville, AL. In 1970, a young couple named Wendell and Bonnie Glassco saw an opportunity in something very simple: Making inexpensively priced homes beautiful. Today the company is among the largest framed art manufacturers in the country, with corporate showrooms in High Point and Las Vegas and a sales rep network that extends from coast to coast.

Wendell and Bonnie Glassco’s Carousel Decors began in 1970 as a business that provided decorative accessory packages to the manufactured housing industry. Within five years the business was able to acquire a local competitor, Paragon Decors Inc. The name stuck.

Eventually, Paragon’s own need for affordable framed art in the required colors and subject matter took the business in a new direction that would profoundly shape its future. In 1979, the company began manufacturing its own framed prints.

Soon, Paragon began exploring opportunities in the wholesale gift and furniture markets, and found a need for well designed framed pictures at affordable price points. In 1981, Paragon Picture Gallery, a new division dedicated solely to the production of framed art, was born.

Around this time, the second generation joined the family business. Lendell Glassco today is President. Malanta Glassco Knowles is currently Vice President of Marketing. Vince Glassco, who is currently Propac President, followed a few years later. By 1989, the company’s steady growth in the wall décor area made it time to phase out of the decor kit business—which had proved to be a fantastic foundation for an ever-evolving company.

Throughout the 1990s, Paragon grew its business through innovation, value and service. Early in the decade the company began manufacturing high-end wall décor, which led the way to new types of wall décor including decorative mirrors, canvas transfers, oil paintings, decorative wood plaques, wrought iron and framed objects.

In 2005, Paragon moved into a new 150,000-square-foot, state-of-the-art manufacturing facility to accommodate the company’s continued growth. What started as a small mom and pop business has achieved national prominence in the home accessory industry.

Winner of four coveted ARTS Awards, including this year's 20th ARTS Award for excellence in wall decor, the company employs around 1000 team members. Paragon’s diverse product line features more than 2,000 SKUs marketed through two corporate showrooms, and four showroom-based manufacturer sales agencies, as well as independent representatives.

Paragon's success can be traced to a dedication to a business philosophy that has remained unchanged throughout the years. Paragon’s goal is to offer beautiful products at affordable prices, work hard to achieve operational excellence, and most of all - develop mutually beneficial relationships based on honesty with our employees, salespersons, customers, vendors and others with whom we associate.

With Paragon, “Where there’s a wall, there’s a way.”

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