From the East Bloc and Beyond

“So we began looking around for Soviet-made products to import into the United States instead,” he continues. “We brought in some products made by the larger former military factories and some handicrafts and sold them wholesale to companies such as Nordstrom and Pier One.”

By 1995, popular interest in his product line was growing, says Siegler, so he switched gears from a wholesale supplier to a direct-to-consumer retailer. He printed an eight-page catalog, opened a Web site and sent out press releases. Siegler also tested space ads in vertical market publications. For example, he promoted a cosmonaut wristwatch in magazines such as Aviation History and Flying.