Learning Express Toys
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| Logo 2007-Present | |
| |
| Company type | Private |
| Industry | Retail |
| Founded | Acton, MA, U.S. (1987, as "Learning Express") |
| Founder | Sharon DiMinico |
| Headquarters | , |
Number of locations | 125 |
Area served | U.S. |
Key people | |
| Products |
|
| Website | learningexpress |
Learning Express Toys, incorporated in 1987 as Learning Express, Inc., is a specialty toy, game and book retailer and franchisor headquartered in Devens, Massachusetts, United States. The company franchises over 125 specialty toy stores in the United States.[1] It also operates online at learningexpress.com.
History
Sharon DiMinico was chair of the Board of Directors at the Groton Community School, a private nursery school based in Groton, Massachusetts in 1987. She wanted to raise funds for the school her two children attended and also to prevent tuition increases, so she proposed that the school open a specialty toy store called "Learning Express" that was based on a business plan she had developed over the previous three years. Sharon felt that the school would both make money and support the educational development of its students.
Shortly thereafter, an article about franchising in Inc. Magazine inspired Sharon to structure Learning Express on a franchise business model. Groton Community School opened the first Learning Express toy store in Acton, Massachusetts in the spring of 1987, [2] and, six months later, Sharon opened the first store owned by Learning Express, Inc. in Needham, Massachusetts. Three years later, in 1990, Learning Express opened its first franchise location in Andover, Massachusetts.
Brands
Among other vendors, Learning Express Toys sells toys from Alex, American Girl, Blue Orange, Calico Critters, Cloud B, Creativity for Kids, Gund, Hot Wheels, International Playthings, Klutz, Learning Resources, LEGO, Mattel, Melissa & Doug, Playmobil, Schylling, Scientific Explorer, Skip Hop, Small World Toys, Sticky Mosaics, ThinkFun, Three Cheers for Girls, Toysmith, Ty, and Workman Publishing.
Convention
Since 1999, Learning Express, Inc. has produced an annual convention for its store owners, vendors, and other members of the toy industry. The event is held in various locations in the United States. The final evening is generally reserved for an Awards Banquet, where members of the community give and receive honors for their contributions to the Learning Express Toys community.
References
- ^ "Our Story" - Learning Express Toys website
- ^ Groton Community School Website
External links
