A local company that built a global presence from its headquarters in Zionsville is preparing to open its doors to the community in an unprecedented way.
Fanimation, a leading manufacturer of residential and commercial ceiling fans, will host its first tent sale and community event Friday, Sept. 25, and Saturday, Sept. 26.
The two-day gathering offers a family-friendly atmosphere designed to connect local residents with the team behind the brand while offering heavily discounted pricing on overstock and direct-to-consumer ceiling fans across various price points.
The event will feature food trucks — including local favorite DL Cuisine — bounce houses, live caricature artists, and guided tours of Fanimation’s Antique Fan Museum, home to the largest private collection of historical ceiling fans in the United States. Local antique fan restorer Eddie will also showcase customized and refurbished vintage fans at a dedicated booth.
While Fanimation products are sold through major retailers, independent lighting showrooms, and e-commerce platforms worldwide, company leaders recognized an opportunity to foster stronger relationships right in their own backyard.
“We are a family-owned company competing against massive private equity firms,” said Chris Wheeler, vice president of operations at Fanimation. “Making sure people are able to resonate with where we are physically in our community, our quality, and our history is really important to us.”
From a Pasadena Garage to Zionsville Headquarters
Fanimation’s roots trace back to 1973. Founder Tom Frampton, then a high school junior, took a summer job working for antique dealer Burton A. Burton, who later founded the Casablanca Fan Company. Frampton became Casablanca’s first employee, eventually taking over its specialty fan division.
When the specialty division took a back seat to mass residential production, Frampton bought his department to launch his own enterprise. In 1984, Fanimation was born out of the Frampton family’s garage in Pasadena, California, launching with three custom designs: The Punkah, The Palmetto, and The Bourbon Street.
A Hollywood opportunity soon catapulted the small operation into the spotlight. In 1986, an interior designer building a bedroom set for the film Down and Out in Beverly Hills asked Frampton for a smaller, residential version of his grand Palmetto fan. To avoid unwanted noise during filming, Frampton designed the scaled-down fan to be hand-powered.
Moviegoers flooded Frampton with inquiries after seeing the unique fan on the big screen. In response, he created the “Palisade” — a dual-motor vertical fan — which evolved into a half-sized version dubbed “The Islander” in 1990.
“Demand sent Tom into residential fans with The Islander, and it just experienced steady growth over the years into the global enterprise it is now,” said John Wertz, marketing manager at Fanimation.
Seeking room to grow, Frampton relocated the company to Indiana in 1994, settling on 85th Street near Zionsville Rd in Indianapolis before expanding to Lebanon. In 2003, Fanimation built its corporate headquarters in Zionsville, drawn to the town’s vibrant community and strategic location.
Today, leadership remains within the family. Tom Frampton’s son, Nathan Frampton — who grew up helping around the shop and joined full-time in 2002 — became president in 2007 and was named president and CEO in 2017. Tom transitioned to founder and chairman.
Reinvesting in People and Community
Today, Fanimation employs nearly 75 team members globally, including roughly 40 based at the Zionsville campus and a dedicated engineering and product design team in Taiwan.
Despite its international footprint, the corporate culture remains deeply rooted in its family-owned origin.
“The culture here really does reinvest in the employees and the people that put in the time and energy,” Wheeler said. “It complements things that large corporations struggle with. It’s been a big passion of mine to match what we do within these four walls with how we engage our local community.”
In addition to shopping for fans and enjoying family entertainment, attendees will have direct access to Fanimation’s technical expertise. Customer care and technical support team members will be on-site throughout the weekend to answer installation questions, consult on home projects, and guide first-time buyers.
“We have 18 team members in this building who work in technical support every single day,” Wheeler added. “They’ve seen about every type of installation scenario there is. Whether someone is a DIYer or looking to learn more about our technology, our team will be right there to walk them through it.”
Fans, Food Trucks, and Family Fun
Fanimation leadership designed the event to give back to the local community that has hosted its headquarters for more than two decades.
“We want to be very family-focused,” Wertz said. “We are a family-based company. Whether you’re looking for a new fan, needing technical advice for a home project, or just wanting to enjoy lunch and tour the museum with your kids, we’re opening our doors to welcome our neighbors.”
Event Highlights:
- Local Food Trucks: Food vendors will serve from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Friday and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, featuring local food trucks like Zionsville’s DL Cuisine and more.
IndyCar: Appearance by IndyCar driver Jack Harvey Friday, 9/25, from 5PM-7PM along with a Dreyer & Reinbold Racing IndyCar show car.
- Family Activities: Children can enjoy bounce houses, caricature artists and other family-friendly activities.
- Antique Fan Museum Tours: Free access to Fanimation’s museum collection, housing the largest private assembly of antique and vintage fans in the U.S.
Event Logistics:
- When: Friday, Sept. 25 (11 a.m. – 7 p.m.) & Saturday, Sept. 26 (10 a.m. – 6 p.m.)
- Where: Fanimation Headquarters, 10983 Bennett Parkway, Zionsville, IN 46077
- Admission: Free admission and parking; food and products available for purchase.
- Details: Product inventory is sold while supplies last; delivery service is not available.
For more information about Fanimation, visit fanimation.com. For directions and Fanimation Days details, visit fanimation.com
