Joss Cues was born in 1968 in a two-car garage in Baltimore, the brainchild of Dan Janes and one-time partner Bill Stroud. Working with one ancient manual lathe, one butcher-shop bandsaw, one drill press, and one work bench, the two former road players took some of contemporary cuemaking's first steps away from the traditional four-prong design, innovating the "floating points" concept and many others. Their unique ideas coupled with their personal relationships with the best players of the times including: Eddie Taylor, Ed Kelly, Larry Lisciotti, Luther Lassiter, Jimmy Fusco, Richie Florence and Joe Balsis, just to name a few, helped make Joss virtually an instant success. Joss has remained at the forefront of cuemaking in the more than three decades that have passed.

Dan bought Bill's interest in Joss Cues in 1972 and continued to make cues in Baltimore. He eventually moved to a larger location and his son Stephen joined him in cuemaking. Dan and Stephen still work side by side in the shop while Debbie Janes oversees the office. Joss Cues is a real family effort, which results in a company that cares about its product and clients.