History:
Maura's Pole People
Maura's Pole People has been in business over six years and has pieces placed in homes, businesses, and offices throughout the Continental U.S., Alaska, Hawaii, and Japan. Maura's Pole People were born in Fort Benning, Georgia in 1991, when our very first Pole Person (who is still with us today) was made. Uncle Sam was a pole with nothing but a square wooden base, a round hat brim, and an American flag. He became the darling of our on-post neighborhood, however, and soon we were making others for friends and neighbors at cost.
The USMA Cadet was the next Pole Person to be made, followed shortly by the Butler and Santa Claus. We soon had too many people who wanted a Pole Person of their own to keep making them for fun, and someone suggested we go into business. Gradually, the number of Pole People models expanded, as did the amount of decoration and accessories that came with each.
The first store to carry them was a consignment shop in Occoquan, Virginia, followed shortly after our move from Fort Benning to Charlottesville, Virginia, by the Virginia Shop in Charlottesville. After that, a string of stores carried them, including the Visitors Center at the US Naval Academy.
Our Pole People are currently carried in retail establishments in Charlottesville, VA; Cornwall, West Point (The Cadet Store, The Cadet Bookstore, the USMA Museum Gift Shop, and the USMA Association of Graduates Gift Shop ), New York City, Highland Falls, New York, and Annapolis, Maryland. We have Pole People in several countries outside the United States (we went international in 1995), and in almost every state in the U.S. We love to hear about the travels of our People, so please let them keep in touch with us. Even though we are carried in stores, most of our business is by direct order and shipping to customers. This cuts out the middleman and enables us to keep our prices low.
We have a wide variety of models from which to choose, and our line is always increasing with special orders from customers. Our friends around the world are always asking "Can you do this?" Our response is "let us try--if you like it, it's yours, and if you don't, we'll keep trying until we get it right or we keep it." We love the challenge of depicting special characters in poles, and have done storybook characters, animals, school mascots, sports figures, professions, and even matched customers with their look-a-like Pole People. If you have a special order in mind, give us a call--we'd love to try to satisfy you.
We are always looking to improve old models and develop new ones. We have also added a variety of sizes, including original 5.5 foot tall poles, 4' tall poles, and even 13"mini-poles.
Keep checking back. Our history increases every day, with new customers and exciting new orders.
Maura's Mascots
Maura's Mascots began in November, 1996 at West Point, New York. Maura had an Eddie Bauertm snow globe depicting a Golden Retriever with a holiday wreath in his mouth. "I want a snowglobe with the USMA mule," she said. By the time her husband had told her all the reasons that such a thing could not be had, Maura had made connections in China, Japan, Iowa, and Colorado, and had them on their way.
Then, in the Spring of 1998, after much urging from customers, Maura got "On Brave Old Army Team" recorded for a music box with the wonderful assistance of the U.S.M.A. Band, and a few months later, both snow globes became music boxes!
Today, Maura hand crafts each snow globe music box personally.
You know they are good--they have to pass her personal inspection, and
she makes each one as if it were for her.