Oh, fudge!
We finally know who bought the “A Christmas Story” house and museum! And it’s really exciting news (we think!).
The home, which is located at 3159 West 11th St. in Cleveland’s Tremont neighborhood, was officially listed for sale on Nov. 14, 2022.
Clevelanders and fans of the movie wondered who might buy it — cast members? Wealthy Clevelanders? Someone else?
Well, we finally know.
Joshua Dickerson, the current CEO, will take an equity stake in the company and will become its managing partner, the museum announced on its Facebook page.
“A native Clevelander, Mr. Dickerson has been with the company for almost 16 years, having assisted friends and family in their jobs at the company before being hired himself as a warehouse employee,” according to a post on the Facebook page. “Over the years, Mr. Dickerson worked his way up to eventually become the CEO. While the face of the company has long been the founder, Brian Jones, the true work, and performance has been borne by Mr. Dickerson behind the scenes. It seemed only fitting that he should take the final step and become an owner.”
In a more detailed post, founder Brian Jones explained why he ultimately selected Dickerson.
“I chose Josh because Josh chose Josh. And Josh chose all of you,” Jones said in a post to fans.
Jones said that when he took ownership of the home, he never saw it as his.
“I am simply the current steward of this storied piece of Americana. The House ‘belongs’ to us all. It’s a shared piece of our collective culture. A piece that binds millions of us to one another through a common love of the movie. It is with that in mind I set out to find the next steward of the House. I honestly did not know whom or what I would find. I fielded thousands of inquiries, hundreds of ‘offers’ from the ridiculous to the very real,” he wrote. “It came down a couple serious contenders including an actor from the movie. As we went through the process of the sale things bogged down for any number of reasons.”
As Jones pursued the offers that had been made to purchase the business, things dragged on, he said.
“I approached Josh and stated that while a deal was still possible, I wasn’t completely convinced we had found the right person to take it over. I gave Josh the choice: I could continue to pursue a deal and he would get the very large payday I had promised him as part of the sale or he could take an equity stake in the business, stay on as managing partner and realize the American Dream by becoming a business owner and his own boss,” Jones wrote. “I personally would have taken the money and the guaranteed assurances it provided. But as a testament to his character, Josh chose the latter. He chose to stay on. He chose himself — Josh chose Josh. He chose all of you. He chose to be the next steward of the House and keep it alive for all to enjoy. We are all in good hands.”
Who is Josh Dickerson?
As founder Brian Jones explained, Josh Dickerson is “the guy that makes it happen for all of you.”
Jones said that while fans associate him with the “A Christmas Story” house, it is Dickerson who makes it happen.
“Josh is the one who makes it happen for all of you,” he wrote. “He leads an amazing team, puts in the long, long hours, makes the tough calls and ensures that we are doing our best to meet guests’ expectations both when they visit A Christmas Story House and when they order from our online business. Josh is a remarkable person that is a rare find in humanity, he is an exceptional leader, a caring and compassionate individual, an amazing employee, a dear friend, a person I truly admire, and a far better man than most.”
It's Christmas 365 