Ed Hoy has been providing “something
new” for a lifetime. He started his first business at the
age of 17 operating a photo supply, graphic arts,
photography equipment, and photo etching business. He went
on to develop specialty cameras and start a photo etching
company. He also developed items like the screen on electric
razors and integrated circuits. After spending more than two
decades operating this expensive and demanding business, it
was time for a change, so he sold it and got into the
stained glass and craft business.
In May of 1973, Ed Hoy and his wife
Dorothy bought the Millie Millers house on 19 West Chicago
Street in Naperville, Illinois to save and restore the local
landmark. He also thought it would be the perfect place to
open Creative Craftsmen,an arts and craft shop specializing
in stained glass. Ed Hoy often says he looks at everything
through rose-colored glasses. He certainly needed them to
obtain the zoning variance he needed from the city council
of Naperville to open Creative Craftsman. Once that was
done, the old Millie Miller house was carefully painted and
restored. The old shutters found in the garage were
cleaned, painted, and hung. His hard work and efforts paid
off, as a year later Ed was given the Orchid Award by the
Western Communities Architects Association for the
delightful landscaped oasis he created in downtown
Naperville.
Initially, Creative Craftsman offered a
cornucopia of products. Chemically etched earrings and
other decorative products took up one part of the building;
there was a room featuring all sorts of clocks; another room
had a display of pictures, limited prints, paintings, and
wall hangings. Additionally, there was a “stained glass”
room where craftsman worked daily on lampshades, window
hangings, and terrariums. Demonstrations to the public
helped beginners to make their own stained glass items.
By 1976 more space was needed and an
addition was added to the Jackson street building. Although
Creative Craftsman began by including all of Hoy’s favorite
hobbies, before too long, stained glass became the center
of attention. Ed’s business was already considered the third
largest stained glass supply house in the Midwest.
Two years later, in 1978, a new store
five times larger than the original buildings was opened.
When asked about how long the glass craze was going to last
Ed replied, “We have built the new store on the expert
assumption the present stained glass look will last five
years. If it doesn’t last, I will just go to something else.
I am interested in wood-working and lots of other things.”
Ed didn’t need to worry. The “stained glass craze” was
going so well, that Ed had tomake additions to the building
in 1980 and 1982.
In 1984 Ed moved his growing business
into another new building with “all the space they would
ever need”. He produced a 176 page catalog featuring every
possible tool, chemical, pattern book, glass, jewels, glass
cutters, and hot and fused glass supplies. Ed recalled the
he never intended for this to become a big business, but it
was too late for that now. Customer demands continued to
grow and Ed was instrumental in the development of new
tools, chemicals, design books, and glass accessories for
his ever expanding customer base.
Around 1985, Ed developed a great
passion for “hot glass”. Bullseye Glass was leading the way
with the hot glass movement and Ed had a vision. He took a
long look through those rose-colored glasses of his and
stocked fusing and hot glass products when no one else was.
Ed’s vision has proven to be accurate and hot glass is now a
major part of the glass industry for both professionals and
hobbyists.
By 1988 “all the space they would ever
need” was too small, and Ed moved the business into a new
75,000 square foot warehouse in Warrenville. Today, Ed Hoy’s
has become the world’s largest stained glass distributor.
His philosophy is simple: “I never saw the dark side…I just
looked through the rose-colored glasses”.
The Art Glass Association Board of
Directors considers it a privilege to award Ed Hoy the 2005
Art Glass Lifetime Achievement Award
