How the Haus was Built
haus
/haʊs/ noun
1. The German word for “House.” A structural foundation; a place of origin, shelter, and collaborative gathering.
2. The Imagehaus Standard. An institutional powerhouse where creative strategy and technical precision converge. More than an agency, we are a dedicated “internal advocate” providing the stability and vision required to protect a brand’s legacy.
The Foundation: Eric and the Digital Path
In 1993, Imagehaus Creative was a vision taking shape in a home office while Eric Gossler attended Purdue Calumet (now Purdue Northwest). While in college, Eric gained critical professional exposure to the emerging world of modern desktop publishing through his work at The Times of Northwest Indiana and ICS Books, Inc. At a time when the industry was still tethered to physically assembling all the elements of a page design, Eric was already pioneering a digital-first workflow.
Hired as a young professional at the former Star Plaza Theatre, he became a catalyst for modernization, transitioning the theatre’s marketing department into the era of high-speed digital production. This visionary outlook extended to his home office, where he built a duplicate production suite equipped with the area’s earliest scanners and laser printers, infrastructure that was difficult to source locally at the time.
The Star Plaza Theatre in Merrillville, Indiana, was a popular 3,400-seat live entertainment venue known for concerts and comedy shows, operating from 1979 (as Holiday Star Plaza) until its permanent closure and demolition around 2018 to make way for new developments, leaving behind many memories for fans of artists like Richard Pryor and Sam Kinison.
The technology we take for granted today was specialty equipment in the early 90s. I remember the difficulty of even trying to purchase a Macintosh computer because most vendors weren’t qualified to speak on the subject. This was years before high-speed internet; we were just beginning to see dial-up modems. But I knew the industry was evolving, and I was determined to be at the forefront of that change.
The Proof of Concept: The Blizzard of ’96
The true validation of Eric’s foresight came during the historic blizzard of 1996. While the region was paralyzed, Marketing Manager Colleen Hickman assumed the theatre’s weekly advertising in the Chicagoland newspapers would simply be missed—until she spoke with Eric. Using the system he had built in his home office, he managed the entire campaign using his own data backups. The ads were designed, finalized, and picked up by a courier in the snow, marking a first major example of “remote work” in the region. That rescue solidified the Star Plaza Theatre as the first major client of Imagehaus Creative when Eric was branch out on his own.
The work of Eric and his company Imagehaus allowed me to be successful… at every turn, Eric was there with creative, professional work on time and on budget.
The Expansion: Karen and the Operational Pivot
In the late 90s, the “Haus” grew into a physical storefront with Eric and Karen Gossler purchasing Complete Printing. Karen brought a rigorous technical knowledge to the team, holding an AA in Prepress and Digital Imaging Design from South Suburban College. This era marked a significant expansion as Imagehaus became a technical hub for the region. The company began producing film for high-end printing presses—a service that, fueled by Karen’s background, made Imagehaus an essential partner to other printing companies that had yet to adopt digital prepress technology.
As the industry shifted, so did the Haus. While managing the high-volume demands of the storefront, the team began venturing into the new arena of website development. It soon became obvious that the company was evolving beyond the physical page. This realization led to the strategic decision to close the storefront in the mid-2000s and pivot entirely toward becoming a specialized digital marketing and promotions agency.
Karen’s focus on operational integrity was later put to the ultimate test during the COVID pandemic. When Ridge United Methodist Church was forced into lockdown, she engineered a video streaming setup for Sunday services. Beyond the hardware, she developed the essential pre-communication protocols and user-onboarding methods that allowed parishioners—many of whom had never connected to a live stream—to connect online for the first time. She didn’t just provide a service; she restored a community’s lifeline.
The Imagehaus storefront during its last year of operation in Highland, Indiana. Functioning as a full-service creative hub, this location served as the primary site for the firm’s print services, graphic design, and website development.
Setting the frame for some of the first streaming sessions at Ridge United Methodist Church. As part of an integrated communication strategy, Imagehaus oversaw the technical setup and execution of the church’s transition to live broadcast, establishing a digital video infrastructure for the Munster-based congregation.
I’ve always believed that technology is only successful if people feel comfortable using it. Whether I’m building a online shopping system or creating instructions for parishioners to view their first livestream, my focus is on patience and precision. I enjoy the challenge of figuring out the ‘how’ so our clients can focus on the ‘why.’
The Renaissance: Kaitlin and the Narrative Shift
In 2014, the final pillar arrived. In a twist of fate, Kaitlin Craig Ferguson graduated from the same Purdue Calumet media studies program Eric had attended a decade prior. Eric quickly became aware of Kaitlin’s talents and began subcontracting her services to enhance the agency’s output. This collaboration soon evolved into a partnership, with the two running complex multi-camera video packages for clients ranging from the Munster Police Department to the South Holland Master Chorale.
It was a result of this shared evolution of storytelling that the two collaborated on “Django’s Journey.” The project—a milestone in cinematic storytelling for Imagehaus, received national honors, earning Imagehaus its first two prestigious Viddy Awards.
From left, Eric Gossler, Dawn Beard, Officer Brian Hernandez, and Kaitlin Craig Ferguson at the Munster Police Department’s National Night Out booth. The department utilized the event to showcase the Django’s Journey tribute video, an Imagehaus production that resulted in a nationally recognized archive of the town’s K-9 unit history for residents and stakeholders.
Think of me as a less wealthy Bruce Wayne or a nerdier Clark Kent. While Batman and Superman take on villains, I face off against bad grammar, weak visuals and misguided messaging. If your brand is battling marketing mayhem, I’m ready to suit up!
Haus Note: The Educator’s Edge
Fun Fact: Mastery is the ability to teach. Eric and Kaitlin eventually returned to the halls of South Suburban College—where Karen had earned her degree—but this time as instructors for non-credit community photography classes. Together, they maintained a record of exemplary reviews from their students.
Kaitlin and Eric are great instructors… thanks to them I am aware there is so much more to photography than pointing and clicking.
Today: Your Partner in Brand Continuity
Thirty years later, Imagehaus remains rooted in Munster, IN, serving as the primary source of brand continuity for companies and organizations across the country. Whether rescuing a promotional campaign from a blizzard, a congregation from a pandemic, or a brand from “marketing mayhem,” Imagehaus is your partner in solutions for your business, as well as a safety net for when the unexpected happens.