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Wild Things

October 11, 2007 by Lisa Hahn

Johnson Smith Co. -- the Rosetta stone of American culture -- featured in Tampa Tribune

Phil Morgan of the Tampa Tribune is surrounded by Halloween props from www.ThingsYouNeverKnew.com
Phil Morgan, Tampa Tribune writer, interviews Ralph Hoenle and Kim Boyd of Johnson Smith Co.
Johnson Smith Company was featured in the Tampa Tribune, sparking Internet orders and catalog requests. Ralph Hoenle and Kim Boyd gave Tribune features editor Phil Morgan a tour of the Bradenton, Florida facility and shared stories of growing up in the family business -- from "peeling money" to learning to not accept a product handed to them by their dad, Ralph Honele Sr.

Known as the home of the Whoopee cushion, joy buzzers, and x-ray specs, Johnson Smith's Things You Never Knew (www.ThingsYouNeverKnew.com), Lighter Side (www.LighterSide.com), and Betty's Attic (www.BettysAttic.com) today offer gifts and novelties that are guaranteed to generate a reacation--either a belly laugh, chuckle or bring a tear to the eye.

"We alsways knew whenever my dad brought something home for us and said, "Here, what do you think about this?" We wouldn't touch it, because invariably it would shock or buzz or beep or squirt water," says Kim Boyd."

The story was timed for the Halloween and Holiday season and can be viewed at http://www2.tbo.com/content/2007/oct/11/wild-things/?life.

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