From humble beginnings, the journey of one man changed the course of a family and laid the foundation for a brand that has endured and grown for over a century. From an early stage of life, Harry Fellowes was confronted with challenges, but used each as an opportunity to forge a life of greater excellence and influence. Today, Bankers Box remains owned and led by the Fellowes family, now into its 4th generation of leadership.

Harry came to know Walter Nickel, salesperson turned inventor, who had recently innovated the Liberty Record Storage Box, meeting a developing need for paper storage following the introduction of new records-keeping legislation. Just after launching his new idea, Walter was to be drafted into World War I, and Harry proposed that he acquire Walter's idea for $121, and make Walter a 50/50 partner when he returned from the war. Harry's proposal was accepted.

Harry's first task was to file a patent on the Liberty Box and register the new name of the business, The Bankers Box Company. With demand growing, the business began to take shape hiring its first 5 employees who would collectively go on to serve 208 years, more than a 40-year average apiece. With an established manufacturing capability, Harry set out across the United States building a base of resellers.. With increasing momentum, the fledgling start-up faced a new, sobering challenge on Black Tuesday in October of 1929.

Following the economic crash, Harry and Walter quickly made adjustments to meet shrinking demands. To preserve jobs for existing employees, a pay cut was activated for all owners and employees. Sensitive to the hard times, the Bankers Box Company also started providing free soup and coffee each day. With banks (the company's primary customer) facing peril, the Great Depression accelerated growth to a more diverse customer base. Harry's oldest son, Folger, left college in his Senior year to help his father expand the businesses regions. Harry's other son, John, joined the business shortly thereafter. By the end of the 1930's, the business regained its momentum, but a new challenge was on the horizon: World War II.

With wartime policies tightly rationing materials like corrugate, which represented 98% of Bankers Box contents, Harry negotiated a reoccurring audience with The War Production Board in Washington, D.C. There he highlighted his role in supporting the war effort through supplying Defense Contractors and the benefits of substituting corrugated for other more precious wartime substrates like metal. His efforts were rewarded with consecutive 6-month allowances, which increased access to corrugate and allowed the business to continue operations. The idea of substituting corrugate went further than he could have imagined, including the use of Liberty Boxes as bassinets by hospitals.

With sales exceeding $1M for the first time at the start of the decade, brothers Folger and John Fellowes assumed the President and Vice President roles respectively. To establish a new foundation for increased demand, Bankers Box moved outside of Chicago to Franklin Park. The product line was also expanded with the reintroduction of STAXONSTEEL®, after being discontinued during World War II due to its metal content. Later, the R-Kive® box was introduced, still a best-seller to this day.

Following the sudden and heartbreaking death of his older brother Folger, John became the company's third President and primary shareholder at the start of the decade. With his son, Jamie, now alongside him in the business, a new horizon and vision for the business began, international expansion. Canada and the United Kingdom became Bankers Box's first international subsidiaries. Back home, the Bankers Box Company had outgrown its Franklin Park headquarters and built a new state-of-the-art facility 25 miles outside of Chicago in Itasca, Illinois.

In the 106 years since, Bankers Box has evolved in reach, impact, and capability -- and continues to earn the trust of individuals and organizations on every scale. Building from a rich tradition of innovation and quality manufacturing, we have expanded to a full range of carefully engineered storage solutions and household items. From iconic corrugated cardboard products and reliable organizational tools, to heavy-duty and high-security storage solutions that can stand up to the toughest of challenges, every Bankers Box is designed as a solution you can count on.