Author: Maddie Michalik

BuzzFeed to Launch NYC Toy Store This Fall

BuzzFeed to Launch NYC Toy Store This Fall

Posted by | Oct 11, 2018 |

Internet media and news company BuzzFeed plans to open a toy store in Manhattan this fall, according to The New York Post. The toy shop, called Camp, will be located at a 11,000 square-foot space at 110 Fifth Ave. in the Flatiron District. Kids toys will be in the front of the store, while an experiential area in the back will feature a spot for visitors to post sharable social media posts and will change several times a year. The approach for Camp will be unique in that merchandise and décor will change every few months to fit different...

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FAO Schwarz Sets New York Flagship Opening Date, International Expansion Plans

FAO Schwarz Sets New York Flagship Opening Date, International Expansion Plans

Posted by | Oct 9, 2018 |

FAO Schwarz will officially open its New York City flagship store on November 16 located at 30 Rockefeller Plaza. The location will feature FAO Schwarz signature toys and items from partners such as Melissa & Doug, Marvin’s Magic, and Build-A-Bear Workshop, as well as FAO Schweetz in partnership with IT’SUGAR. The store will feature FAO’s staple retail experiences including the iconic dance-on-piano, magic shows, a baby adoption center, a kids’ grocery shopping experience, and a build-your-own R/C race car station. Many of these experiences will be duplicated with FAO Schwarz international partner locations. Additional expansion plans include opening permanent FAO Schwarz shops...

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Secured Lenders Acquire Geoffrey LLC’s Assets, Launch Geoffrey’s Toy Box

Secured Lenders Acquire Geoffrey LLC’s Assets, Launch Geoffrey’s Toy Box

Posted by | Oct 2, 2018 |

Geoffrey LLC, Toys “R” Us Inc.’s intellectual property holding company subsidiary, will move forward with a plan for a group of investors led by Geoffrey LLC’s existing secured lenders to acquire substantially all of its assets. The new company is “in discussions with very interested parties about how the company could look in the future,” according to Richard Barry, executive vice president of global merchandising at Geoffrey LLC, including ideas for new Toys “R” Us and Babies “R” Us stores in the U.S. Barry told The Toy Book exclusively that the company will launch a “shop-within-a-shop” concept, called Geoffrey’s...

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Basic Fun! Acquires All Playhut Assets

Basic Fun! Acquires All Playhut Assets

Posted by | Oct 1, 2018 |

Basic Fun!, purchased all assets of Playhut Inc., the California toy company that produces the EZ Twist line of indoor and outdoor play structures. Founded in 1982, Playhut introduced products that aim to enhance imaginative and educational play. The company’s EZ Twist design system allows for instant setup and foldaway storage of lightweight popup environments including playhouses, tents, tunnels, and games. “We believe that Playhut is the brand of choice for indoor and outdoor play structures,” Jay Foreman, CEO of Basic Fun!, says “The company is well known for innovation and quality by consumers, retailers and licensors. They ran into serious troubles navigating...

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The Toy Insider Showcases Top Holiday Toys at Seventh Annual HoliDAY of Play

The Toy Insider Showcases Top Holiday Toys at Seventh Annual HoliDAY of Play

Posted by | Sep 21, 2018 | ,

The Toy Insider hosted the seventh annual HoliDAY of Play event on Thursday, September 20, and unveiled its expert picks for the best kids’ toys and gifts in its 13th annual holiday gift guide. More than 150 members of the press had a chance to get a first look at the hottest toys of the season, and also met face-to-face with some of the top companies in the toy industry to get hands-on experience with the best toys on the market. Guests were treated to delicious snacks and holiday-themed cocktails during this exclusive three-hour event with beautiful views of the Empire State Building...

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ChiTAG Names 2018 Toy & Game Innovation Awards Finalists

ChiTAG Names 2018 Toy & Game Innovation Awards Finalists

Posted by | Sep 21, 2018 | ,

The Chicago Toy & Game Group revealed the finalists for its 2018 Toy & Game Innovation Awards (TAGIEs). The TAGIEs, now in its 11th year, recognizes innovators, designers, and marketers in the toy and game industry. Following a public voting period, winners will be revealed on November 16, 2018 at the TAGIEs ceremony and gala, held annually during Chicago Toy & Game Week (ChiTAG), the night before the start of the ChiTAG’s consumer fair at Navy Pier. Finalists in the following categories were selected by their industry peers. The public is now invited to place their votes to determine the...

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The Toy Insider Trend Experts Reveal 2018 Hot Holiday Toys

The Toy Insider Trend Experts Reveal 2018 Hot Holiday Toys

Posted by | Sep 20, 2018 |

The Toy Insider, one of the toy industry’s most influential organizations and a trusted go-to resource for parents and gift-givers, today unveiled its expert picks for the best kids’ toys and gifts in its 13th annual holiday gift guide. The hottest and most coveted items for 2018 are broken out into three lists: the Hot 20 (the most wished-for items of the year), Top Tech 12 (featuring artificial intelligence, augmented reality, virtual reality and other innovative technologies) and STEM 10 (science, technology, engineering and math toys that make learning fun). These hand-picked items represent an incredible assortment of must-have collectibles,...

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eOne Reveals New Preschool Property, Secures TOMY as Global Master Toy Partner

eOne Reveals New Preschool Property, Secures TOMY as Global Master Toy Partner

Posted by | Sep 20, 2018 |

Entertainment One (eOne) adds Ricky Zoom, a new preschool animated TV series, to its slate of preschool properties. It will be showcased at this year’s Brand Licensing Europe and MIPCOM. eOne is also assembling the consumer products program for the brand, and recently appointed TOMY International as global master toy partner. Products are set to launch next fall/winter. From the producers of PJ Masks, Ricky Zoom is a CGI action comedy adventure series that follows the adventures of Ricky, a little red motorbike with a zest for speed. The show is about friendship, family, and learning to stand on your own two wheels. A born leader, Ricky is joined by...

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Hornby Signs Global Licensing Agreement with Warner Bros.

Hornby Signs Global Licensing Agreement with Warner Bros.

Posted by | Sep 18, 2018 |

  Hornby PLC secured a licensing agreement with Warner Bros Entertainment Inc. to extend its licensed product range to include Harry Potter, DC Super Heroes, and more. The toy train maker will release of a variety of model railway, slot car sets, and die-cast vehicles under the brands of Hornby Railways, Scalextric, and Corgi. The extensive product range will feature a selection of Warner Bros’ and DC Comics Inc.’s franchises. The stock was trading 27 percent higher on Monday. The first products to be released under this partnership will be on display at the upcoming London Toy Fair in January...

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American Greetings Entertainment Rebrands as Cloudco Entertainment

American Greetings Entertainment Rebrands as Cloudco Entertainment

Posted by | Aug 21, 2018 |

American Greetings Entertainment formally changed its name to Cloudco Entertainment. The name change follows a recent spinoff from the former division of American Greetings into its own stand-alone company. Long-time owners, the Weiss family, retain 100 percent ownership of Cloudco Entertainment, and all current key Cloudco executives and management remain in place. In addition to the ownership of intellectual properties, Cloudco also will continue with all of the former American Greetings Entertainment marketing initiatives, content development and production activities, and consumer product programs and partnerships.   With several soon-to-be announced productions and licensing partnerships, Cloudco Entertainment is currently working on...

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