Liberty Puzzles
 | |
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Founded | Boulder, Colorado (2005) |
| Founder | Christopher Wirth, Jeffrey Eldridge |
| Headquarters | |
Area served | Worldwide |
| Products | Wooden jigsaw puzzles |
| Website | www |
Liberty Puzzles is an American manufacturer of classic style wooden jigsaw puzzles based in Boulder, Colorado.
History
[edit]Liberty Puzzles was founded in 2005 by Christopher Wirth and his business partner Jeffrey Eldridge, after Wirth’s family inherited several hand-cut wooden puzzles from the 1930s.[1] Surprised by the value of hand-cut wooden jigsaw puzzles (which can sell for more than $1,000 each), Wirth decided to start a business using modern cutting technologies, with a goal of producing puzzles in the $100 range.[2] Wirth is the son of former Colorado senator Tim Wirth.[3]
Liberty Puzzles was the largest or second largest wooden jigsaw puzzle manufacturer in America as of 2011.[citation needed] In 2014, the company opened a retail location on the Pearl Street Mall in Boulder.[4] Sales show a strongly seasonal pattern, with peak sales occurring at the end of November, during the Black Friday shopping phenomenon.[5]
Liberty Puzzles experienced a surge in popularity during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic.[3][6] In March 2020, they had a backlog of 10,000 orders[5] and were forced to institute a waiting list to purchase puzzles of up to 60 days.[3][6] After the COVID-19 lockdowns ended, they expanded their facilities and ramped up production.[5] Demand softened considerably when pandemic-related restrictions ended, but the Christmas shopping season in 2023 was strong enough that they were once again overwhelmed by orders.[5]
The puzzles are made in Boulder with archival paper and inks adhered to quarter-inch maple plywood cut with computer-controlled laser cutters. As of 2020, the company owned 44 laser cutters, each capable of producing one 500-piece puzzle per hour.[6]
Designs
[edit]The company offers over 650 different puzzle images.[6] The image selections have an emphasis on fine art, vintage prints and Asian art. The puzzle designs are modeled after the puzzles popular in the early-twentieth century. Liberty's puzzles include a relatively large number of whimsy pieces (pieces shaped recognizably, for example, as storks or swans), reaching over 20% of the pieces in some puzzles.[1][3] Most Liberty Puzzles include the company's signature whimsy piece in the shape of an eagle.
References
[edit]- ^ a b Cutrofello, Tom (2010). Pieces of Art: Cutting Edge Jigsaws. Games Magazine.
- ^ Howlett, Sarah Protzman (2014-11-14). "A Piece of Boulder". 5280. Retrieved 2022-12-04.
- ^ a b c d Hannon, Aedan (2021-02-25). "Chris Wirth Isn't Your Average Puzzle Maker". 5280. Retrieved 2022-12-04.
- ^ Wallace, Alicia (2014-09-21). "Boulder's Liberty Puzzles piecing together Pearl Street location". Boulder Daily Camera. Archived from the original on 2023-01-11. Retrieved 2022-12-04.
- ^ a b c d Kois, Dan (2023-12-19). "The Little Puzzle Company That Could". Slate. ISSN 1091-2339. Retrieved 2023-12-25.
- ^ a b c d Tulenko, John D. (2020-06-19). "Soaring Sales for $4,500 Puzzles? In a Lockdown, It All Fits". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2022-12-04.