A pair of iconic toy brands have a new home.
Following the sudden disappearance of Alex Brands and the auction of its assets this spring, Just Play has acquired Slinky and Shrinky Dinks. New products from both brands will arrive at retail this fall, just in time for the holiday season.
“For 75 years, Slinky has been one of the most popular and recognizable playthings around the world,” says Charlie Emby, co-president of Just Play and Toy Association board member. “We look forward to bringing this cherished product, along with the popular Shrinky Dinks, to new generations of kids.”
At Toy Fair New York in February, a celebration for Slinky’s 75th anniversary began with plans that would ultimately be paused due to the arrival of the COVID-19 pandemic and the closure of Alex Brands. Now, Just Play is giving the historic brand its due by launching the 75th Anniversary Slinky collection in August. The company plans to honor the legacy of the American-made toy by continuing the milestone anniversary celebration with a return to Toy Fair New York next February.
Additionally, Just Play is reopening the Hollidaysburg, Pennsylvania facility where Slinky and Shrinky Dinks are produced and is rehiring employees to maintain American jobs and manufacturing.
More than 250 million Slinkys have been sold since the toy was first introduced to Christmas shoppers at the Gimbels department store in Philadelphia in 1945. Shrinky Dinks was invented in 1973 by two Wisconsin moms who created it as a Cub Scouts project. The brand became a household name in the 1980s and has been a staple of play ever since.
