Dear rp-mler's:
Just read an interesting article in Sunday's Wichita Eagle about a new
company
where customers can make one-of-a-kind teddy bears, bunnies, and cows that
start at $10 each.
Sounds like they make most of their money selling the dress-up accessories
like umbrellas and various outfits. The company's owner calls herself the
"Chief Executive Bear" and the employees are called "Master Bear Builders."
The customers pick an empty bearskin, color and fur consistency of their
choice, and then watch it stuffed, sewn up, and dressed up to their
specifications right before their eyes.
The Build-A-Bear chain is now national and has 11 stores so far with
predicted revenues of $18-20 million USD this year. The company has been in
business since October 1997.
Some interesting quotes from the article were:
"There's something extra special about a bear whose creation one has
custom-designed and overseen made."
and
"Retail has become so homogenized in the United States that anything that
provides a unique experience
and a one-of-a-kind product is pretty cool."
Just think of all the niche markets you could serve by fabbing items while
the customer waits and to their spec's!!!
Marshall and Co., let's get busy before somebody else beats us to it!!!
Anybody interested in the article can read about it at:
http://www.wichitaeagle.com/collectibles/news/wobuildabear.htm
Best Regards,
Glenn Whiteside
For more information about the rp-ml, see http://ltk.hut.fi/rp-ml/
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