While mirror balls might have been intrinsically linked to the disco revolution of the ‘70s, to this day they’re seen widely in clubs throughout the world and remain a potent symbol of dancefloor abandon (even if our musical tastes have shifted toward house, techno and beyond). While mirror ball manufacturing appears to be on the decline, luckily, there’s one still standing in the US.
“Disco may be dead, but in a lonely corner of a Kentucky mirror factory, the disco ball is stayin' alive,” writes NBC News .
Omega National Products is indeed the last American disco ball manufacturer, and while four decades ago the company had 25 workers each churning out as many 25 balls a day, these days it’s a single worker remaining—Yolanda Baker—who crafts the magic sparkly balls.
However, NBC concedes that the market for disco balls has hardly dried up. The fall in production is more related to the fact that Chinese factories are selling cheaper versions. While a Kentucky-made mirror ball costs roughly $125, imports can be purchased for as low as $25.
“They don't give off the light like ours do,” Baker says of the imports. “It's not a ball that's going to last.”
Check out the full story and video over at NBC News .
