SKULLS UNLIMITED INTERNATIONAL NEWS |
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Skulls Unlimited Celebrates 20 Years!
It was 20 years ago this month that Jay Villemarette decided to officially start Skulls Unlimited. Jay had long been a skull junkie by hobby. His fascination began at the age of seven when he found a dog skull. When Jay was fourteen, he won 5th place in the Oklahoma State Fair for an animal skull display. Jay says his obsession with skulls continued through his teenage years and was only briefly overshadowed when he discovered the opposite sex. Jay recalls, "When I first took my future wife, Kim, to my room, I remember throwing a blanket over the case that housed my collection. I didn't want to take any chances and weird her out." Shortly after Jay and Kim were married, Jay began a career as an auto body technician. However, due to the poor economy of the mid 1980's, Jay was laid off from this job. Finding himself unemployed, and with the recent news that Kim was expecting their first child, Jay knew he needed to find a new career. He thought he might try selling skulls. Jay recalls Kim's reaction to this, "She would cry herself to sleep at the thought of telling people what her husband did for a living. Many people assumed a skull company would fail, but I wasn't afraid to try." Thankfully, it paid off.
The company has gone through a number of changes over the past 20 years. Jay began cleaning and selling skulls from his home. For the first few years, the cleaning actually was done in the family kitchen. "I would spend the day boiling skulls on the kitchen stove and cleaning them on our dinner table. Kim would have to move the skulls in order the prepare dinner." says Jay. In 1990, Jay opened Skulls Unlimited's first retail location in Oklahoma City on South Shields Blvd. Jay says, "We were at the Shields location for nearly 10 years before our growth forced us to relocate to a larger facility. In 1999 we moved our offices and shipping to a warehouse that had been damaged by the May 3rd F-5 tornado. This allowed us to begin construction on our current facility. We designed the workshop and offices to our specifications and size needs. We never thought we'd outgrow it, but in four short years, we did." So in 2003, Skulls Unlimited built its corporate offices next to the current processing facility. Jay also took this opportunity to construct a space for his lifetime dream, The Museum of Osteology. Jay says, "I had always wanted to have a museum to give back something to the community." The Museum is set to open to the public sometime in 2007.
Today, Skulls Unlimited operates in a 14,000 sq. ft facility with over a dozen full-time employees, has grown to be the largest osteological supplier in the world. Here's to another 20 years!
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Skulls Unlimited's first retail location in 1990
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A crowded processing area circa 1991
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Skulls Unlimited's processing facility today
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Skulls Unlimited's Showroom circa 1992
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Skulls Unlimited's showroom today
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Skulls Unlimited's showroom today
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SKULLS UNLIMITED INTERNATIONAL DIRTY JOBS UPDATE |
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Dirty Jobs at Skulls Unlimited
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We are excited to announce the upcoming episode of Discovery Channel's Dirty Jobs, featuring Skulls Unlimited, is set to air on July 11th. The episode should repeat several times throughout the month. Please check your local listings for times.
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JUNE T-SHIRT CONTEST WINNER |
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This months winner is.......Jessica Vavrasek of Potsdam, New York. Jessica will receive a $50 Skulls Unlimited gift certificate. To enter the Skulls Unlimited T-shirt Contest simply send us a color photograph, or digital image showing you or someone you know wearing one of our T-shirts. Originality will count, so choose a pose in front of a well known landmark, at your job, exotic regions of the world, in the classroom or just lounging around. Each entry will receive a gift certificate for $9.95. We will choose a new winner each month. To learn more about the t-shirt contest or to see previous entries,
Visit
http://www.skullsunlimited.com/t-shirt_contest.html.
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Jessica Vavrasek, Potsdam, NY
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 MUSEUM OF OSTEOLOGY UPDATE
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In the summer of 2004, Museum of Osteology Executive Officer, Jay Villemarette and Director of Education, Joey Williams, traveled to St. Paul Island Alaska to collect specimens for the museum. St. Paul is one of five small islands in the Pribilof Island chain. Located 240 miles north of the Aleutian Islands and 300 miles west of the Alaska mainland, St. Paul Island consists of 40 square miles and is home to approximately 500 individuals. St. Paul was discovered in 1786 by Russian fur traders. St. Paul was not inhabited until 1788, when the Russian American Company enslaved and relocated Aleuts from Siberia, Atka and Unalaska to St. Paul to hunt fur seals. The descendants of these first slaves still live on St. Paul today.
With the help of The National Marine Fisheries Service and the Tribal Ecosystem Conservation Office, Jay and Joey were able to collect a number of natural death Northern fur seals for the museum exhibits. "The experience of actually traveling to a location, such as St. Paul Island, and collecting the specimens ourselves really lends to the educational and scientific value of the specimens. The trip was also a unique opportunity to explore the wildlife and culture of the island," says Joey.
Jay and Joey also paid a visit to the St. Paul school to tell the kids about the museum and how scientists use bones. Jay says "It was fun to share the purpose of the museum with the kids and they were very interested in the skulls we brought them."
This trip was not the first collecting trip for the museum, and probably not the last, but definitely one of the most memorable.
Visit the Museum at http://www.museumofosteology.org/
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Jay on St. Paul Island
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A Northern fur seal basking in a rookery
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Joey examining a fur seal carcass
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Jay and Joey talking with St. Paul students about the museum
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20th ANNIVERSARY SALE |
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20% Off Natural
Bone Animal Skulls
To celebrate Skulls Unlimited's 20th anniversary, we are offering 20% off all natural bone animal skulls for the month of June! Now is the perfect time to stock up on all of the skulls you've always wanted. Sorry, but this discount does not apply to replica skulls, one of a kind natural bone skulls, or natural bone human skulls. This special sale cannot be used with other discounts or promotions.
You must mention this ad, in the comments section of the shopping cart order, or when you call our toll-free number to order.
Order online with our secure shopping cart at:
http://www.skullsunlimited.com
Order by phone at:
1800-659-SKULL or 405-794-9300
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Thank you for 20 awesome years! |
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