This Past Weekend w/ Theo Von

American Originals Holiday Special w/ Mike Rowe

November 28, 2025

Key Takeaways Copied to clipboard!

  • The core mission of the "American Originals Holiday Special w/ Mike Rowe" is to promote and support American manufacturing and creativity by showcasing genuine, non-sponsored, made-in-the-USA products. 
  • The episode emphasizes the dual benefit of purchasing American-made goods: providing a physical gift while simultaneously supporting an American family or company with the transaction. 
  • The featured products range from established, century-old businesses (like Sullivan Glove Company and Nakona Baseball Gloves) to first-generation entrepreneurs (like Crippling Hot Sauce and Oddly Sweet Dolls), illustrating the breadth of American ingenuity. 
  • The episode highlights American-made products as meaningful holiday gifts that are built to last for generations, contrasting them with foreign-made gadgets. 
  • Smithy Ironware, based in Charleston, South Carolina, crafts high-quality cast iron cookware from 100% recycled American iron, emphasizing durability and heritage. 
  • Prodigal Pottery, a business run by women in recovery at King's Home in Alabama, transforms ceramics into a means of salvation and dignified work for survivors of domestic violence and trafficking. 

Segments

Episode Introduction and Mission
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(00:00:30)
  • Key Takeaway: The holiday special aims to support American families by recommending genuine, non-paid, made-in-the-USA products.
  • Summary: The episode is dedicated to showcasing products genuinely manufactured within the United States to support American workers and companies. Mike Rowe joins Theo Von to encourage supporting domestic manufacturing while holiday shopping. The hosts stress that none of the featured products were paid to be included.
Sullivan Glove Company Feature
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(00:04:00)
  • Key Takeaway: Sullivan Glove Company, operating since 1941 in Bend, Oregon, exclusively sources materials and manufactures all 12,000 annual glove pairs domestically with a 10-person team.
  • Summary: Sullivan Glove Company produces premium gloves from elk and deer leather suitable for various activities, from ranch work to formal outings. The company was founded by Edward Sullivan, initially producing gloves for the Navy during World War II. Only five glove companies reportedly remain manufacturing in the USA today.
Chukar Cherries Presentation
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(00:09:44)
  • Key Takeaway: Chukar Cherries, founded by Pam Montgomery in Prosser, Washington, specializes in additive-free, sun-dried cherries, often combined with chocolate.
  • Summary: Pam Montgomery started the company after experimenting with preserving cherries without added sugars or preservatives. The Yakima Valley location is noted as one of the best cherry-growing regions globally. The company employs about 75 people annually and focuses on using U.S. labor and products.
Crippling Hot Sauce Story
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(00:17:16)
  • Key Takeaway: Crippling Hot Sauce was launched out of spite by Drew Davis, a high school student with cerebral palsy, after receiving a low grade on the presentation of the idea.
  • Summary: Drew Davis started the company at age 16 with $3,000, using his grandmother’s kitchen, and has since sold over 500,000 bottles. The company donates 5% of every sale to cerebral palsy research. Drew emphasizes that the business is flavor-first, with most sauces being mild except for the Ghost Pepper Palsy flavor.
Nakona Baseball Gloves Showcase
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(00:22:40)
  • Key Takeaway: Nakona Baseball Gloves, based in Nakona, Texas, is celebrating its centennial in 2026 and is known for its customizable, American-made leather gloves used by professionals and featured in iconic films.
  • Summary: The company has been making gloves on American soil for nearly 100 years, including a contract to supply gloves to soldiers during World War II. Founder Bob Story famously stated he’d rather go fishing than import a Nakona glove, emphasizing their commitment to domestic production. The gloves are presented as heirlooms that carry a significant story.
Oddly Sweet Dolls Feature
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(00:29:44)
  • Key Takeaway: Oddly Sweet Dolls are hand-sculpted, creepy-cute figures created by Lacey Michelle in Salt Lake City as a form of therapy after surviving a brain tumor while pregnant.
  • Summary: The dolls celebrate imperfection, originality, and resilience, often incorporating dark humor elements like meat cleavers. Michelle hand casts each limited-edition doll using local wax, making them unique keepsakes. Theo Von personally collects these dolls, noting their significance as a time capsule for those facing body adjustments.
Scraggly Bush Fur Goods
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(00:35:22)
  • Key Takeaway: Scraggly Bush, founded by Craig and Carly Summit using a COVID stimulus check, creates unique, satin-lined fur goods like the ‘squalid’ (squirrel wallet) from ethically sourced American furs.
  • Summary: The company’s products, including the ‘squalid’ and ‘raccuzzie’ (raccoon cup), are named in tribute to Craig’s late best friend. All furs are sourced from American hunters, ensuring no farmed furs are used. The business model turned a hobby into a $250,000 annual revenue stream.
The Albizia Project Cutting Boards
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(00:39:18)
  • Key Takeaway: The Albizia Project in Oahu, Hawaii, transforms the invasive Albizia tree wood into handcrafted cutting boards and surfboards, aiding in forest restoration.
  • Summary: Founded by Joey Valenti and Christine Johnson, the company received a $250,000 U.S. Forest Service grant after tourism declined during COVID. They maintain a super localized domestic supply chain, tracing each board back to the specific tree and cutter. This process offers a regenerative gift that benefits both the recipient and the Hawaiian environment.
Candletit Hand-Cast Candles
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(00:44:00)
  • Key Takeaway: Candletit, a Chicago-based one-woman brand by artist Bailey, hand-casts candles from real bodies to celebrate shape, self-love, and humor, often serving as keepsakes for breast cancer survivors.
  • Summary: The candles are made from locally sourced wax and are designed to offer tenderness and humor regarding body image. The product line includes various sizes, such as the A-cup, which Theo Von humorously relates to his own childhood feeding experiences. The company supports breast cancer survivors through its unique artistic offerings.
Donnell’s Candies Tradition
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(00:46:49)
  • Key Takeaway: Donnell’s Candies, operating since 1956 in Casper, Wyoming, has been hand-crafting toffees, chocolates, and caramels using the original recipes in copper kettles across three generations.
  • Summary: Theo Von discovered the candies after receiving a box in Casper and praised their coffee and almond brittle as the best he has ever tasted. The family maintains small-town pride and patience in their nearly 70-year tradition of candy making. Supporting this company is presented as an alternative to mass-produced, foreign-made holiday sweets.
Whitestone Mountain Orchard Fruit
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(00:49:23)
  • Key Takeaway: None
  • Summary: The orchard’s harvest season runs from mid-August through November, offering both heirloom and new apple varieties. The company card thanks customers for supporting small family-owned farms. Kate Thornton recommended the orchard due to her deep involvement in the local farming community.
Olympia Provisions Cured Meats
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(00:53:33)
  • Key Takeaway: Olympia Provisions, founded by Elias Cairo in Portland, Oregon, specializes in artisan cured meats made without automation, using skill and time, and also offers pure pork dog treats.
  • Summary: Cairo developed his curing passion during an apprenticeship in Switzerland before perfecting the process back home in the U.S. The company employs 150 people crafting tens of thousands of pounds of meat weekly, including summer sausage and Lucaniko sausage. Their products are highlighted as excellent, high-quality stocking stuffers.
Calavera Tool Works Belts
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(00:55:35)
  • Key Takeaway: Calavera Tool Works, founded by Michael Williams on Johns Island, South Carolina, hand-cuts and stitches belts and tool belts exclusively from American-raised leather and U.S. hardware.
  • Summary: The belts are described as heirlooms built to last, capable of withstanding rigorous farm use, as confirmed by a customer testimonial. Williams left a corporate job to focus on this small-batch leather craft. The product is positioned as a durable, handsome gift that can be passed down through generations.
Smithy Ironware Dutch Oven
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(00:58:07)
  • Key Takeaway: Smithy Ironware produces Dutch ovens crafted in Charleston, South Carolina, representing durable, American-made cookware.
  • Summary: The segment introduces the Smithy Ironware Dutch oven, implying it is a high-quality, traditional piece of American cookware. The hosts express enthusiasm for the item, comparing it favorably to holiday food like ham. This segment marks the introduction of the final featured product in this portion of the episode.
Testimony on Calavera Belts
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(00:57:04)
  • Key Takeaway: Calavera belts and tool belts are highly durable, well-made products suitable for farm use and intended to be heirlooms.
  • Summary: A listener testimony praised Calavera belts and tool belts for their quality and durability under farm conditions. The product was described as something that will last a lifetime, capable of growing or shrinking with the wearer. This item was uniquely characterized as a belt one could pass down to loved ones.
Smithy Ironware Dutch Oven
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(00:58:07)
  • Key Takeaway: Smithy Ironware creates hand-crafted, mirror-finished skillets and carbon steel pans from 100% recycled American iron in Charleston, South Carolina.
  • Summary: Smithy Ironware produces kitchen heirlooms, including Dutch ovens, skillets, and carbon steel pans, all made from 100% recycled American iron. The founder, Isaac Morton, started by restoring old skillets before establishing the foundry in an old naval base. These pieces are built to last for generations, intended to be passed down rather than discarded.
Heart Puzzles Tradition
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(01:00:33)
  • Key Takeaway: Heart Puzzles, based in central Indiana, offers American-made jigsaw puzzles suitable for family bonding and keeping sharp.
  • Summary: Heart Puzzles provides gorgeous, American-made gifts that serve as a fun tradition for families or a hobby for individuals. One anecdote shared involved a stepdad framing completed jigsaw puzzles as wall art. Supporting these companies ensures that American-made products continue to be available.
Prodigal Pottery Ministry Support
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(01:01:35)
  • Key Takeaway: Prodigal Pottery is a business run by women at King’s Home, a ministry in Alabama supporting survivors of domestic violence, trafficking, and homelessness.
  • Summary: Prodigal Pottery creates custom mugs, bowls, ornaments, and other ceramics, providing dignified work for women fleeing dangerous situations. The director, Jenna, shared that this work allows women to regain hope, secure their children, and achieve milestones like buying their first homes. Purchasing items from Prodigal Pottery directly supports the healing and rebuilding of these women’s lives.
Supporting American Craftsmanship
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(01:03:43)
  • Key Takeaway: Maintaining the American spirit requires actively supporting local craftspeople and businesses that manufacture goods domestically.
  • Summary: The concept of America is described as a malleable entity that requires continuous effort from its citizens to sustain its character. Supporting people who make things in America, whether it is an ornament or an axe, is crucial for the nation’s vitality. Choosing to buy from a neighbor or a small domestic producer is presented as a winning choice for the community.