Lillian Campo had been to enough bridal and baby showers, and organized enough events through her catering business to know that there had to be a better way to create that funny hat people make from the bows on gifts they receive.
Author: Barbara Scofidio
Barbara Scofidio
Founded a Concord, MA retail business featuring jewelry and handcrafts created by New England artists and, in affiliation with that, was a regular contributor to retail industry magazines including American Craft and Niche, and wrote a monthly column on Main Street retail for the Concord Journal.
There are green thumbs, and then there are people who just want to be able to grow something, anything! Magic Plant’s growing kits are for these folks. Just open and water the seeds, which are already pre-planted in a special mineral soil, and watch them grow.
When Jean McCarthy started her company, North Woods Animal Treats, in 1996, her mission was clear: to provide the best possible, all-natural products that enhance the lives of both pets and their owners. She also wanted to make the experience positive and fun.
All Zippo lighters are not created equal. In fact, there are several hundred designs. So when a retailer looks for a collection to sell, how exactly does one choose?
Tim Walter was ahead of his time when he created caffeinated sunflower seeds, Harold’s Sunflower Seeds, back in 2007. “It was so cutting edge at the time, but now there are other energy-infused food products out there,” he says. Now he’s done it again with the brand new Gabby’s Garbanzos.
The California Clock Company is one of the few firms that can boast that their products have been made in America since the 1930s. As manufacturer of the Kit-Cat Clock for 82 years, California Clock has built both a great product and an ongoing legacy.
When Patricia Wyatt used her first Nutel Wireless product, she could immediately see the difference in quality from other phone chargers. “They light up at the end, and you know it is working. You don’t have to check your phone to make sure it’s charging.” Now, as general manager of the company, Wyatt sees the other benefits Nutel offers. “Our displays and packaging are very attractive, and we get a lot of compliments,” she says. “That helps to sell the products.”
LuvaLamps are Danish-designed lighting fixtures that also happen to be 3-D puzzles. “It is an interesting combination,” says Jon Scheerz, president of Product Hunters, Inc., which distributes the lamps. “They started back in the ’70s as a holiday decoration in pure white, then over the years added 18 solid colors.
The concept for the Sip-N-Oodle started in the backyard pool of Cameron Parker’s father, Chip. “I was a young kid at the time, and everyone was relaxing on noodles in the pool. I was splashing around and getting water in their drinks, and one friend said, “Wouldn’t it be great to design something that keeps the water from getting in there?”
Up until January, Scentco, Inc. was known for its school fundraising product, scented pencils known as “Smencils.” Now a vibrant, newly redesigned line of pencils, markers, gel pens, and soon, stuffed animals, is available for retailers. “We brought everything on trend and put a lot of design effort into the products. They have a fresh, fun, new look,” explains Sales Director, Brandie Bowers, who is energized about the changes.