Hillerich & Bradsby Hillerich woodworking shop. J. F. Hillerich was uninterested in making bats; he saw the company future in stair railings, porch columns and swinging butter churns. In fact, for a brief time in the 1880s, he even turned away ball players. Bud, however, saw the potential in producing baseball bats, and the elder Hillerich eventually relented to his son. The bats were sold under the name "Falls City Slugger" until Bud Hillerich took over his father's company in , and the name "Louisville Slugger" was registered with the U.S. Patent Office. In , Honus Wagner signed a deal with the company,
Louisville Stoneware Cincinnati, Ohio. There has been plans to open stores in Chicago, Illinois, Cincinnati, Ohio, and Indianapolis, Indiana. Factory tours are available weekdays by appointment, with group discounts available. It is anticipated that, eventually, tours could make the factory as big a center for Louisville tourism as the Louisville Slugger Museum. Clay used by the company comes from western Indiana, and may be up to 250 million years old. Dishes made at the factory have been proven to be safe for use in ovens, microwave ovens, and dishwashers, and can retain heat for keeping food warm. Items from Louisville Stoneware are