Destination: Boyds!
Experience unique family fun at the Boyds Bear Country stores.
By Annette R. Lough
When the folks at Boyds have a vision, you can bet they're going to execute
it in a big way. It'll start with a great idea, incorporate the best-laid
plans, and integrate a lot of passion, energy, and imagination. After all,
how else could the brains at Boyds have created one of the world's most
popular collectible lines—and had so much fun in the process?
If you are already a Boyds devotee, it probably won't surprise you that
Boyds collectors are a fiercely loyal bunch. And it was, at least in part,
that loyalty—the devout love of cuddly bears, frivolity, fun, and
friendship—that sparked one of the collectible world's great ideas:
Boyds Bear Country.
Boyds Bear County, a concept many years in the making, is a place where
adults can be children and children can be childish. Hugs are unlimited,
friends are forever, and food—including the most decadent desserts
(Merci Bearcoup's Parisian Éclair, for example)—is
"calorie-free."
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Associates at the Pigeon Forge Boys Bear Country welcomed customers as the store opened for the first time. |
"The purpose of Boyds Bear County was to have a place where collectors
could come to see everything Boyds and learn about the company and its
history," notes Rich Scotti, Boyds' Marketing Associate. "It also had to be a
place where visitors could simply come and forget about everyday
life—have fun, let their hair down, forget about diets, and feel like a
kid again."
Mission accomplished—and in more ways than one! Homes to the largest
selection of Boyds products anywhere, the Boyds Bear Country stores in
Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, and Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, are much more than "The
World's Most Humongous Teddy Bear Stores;" they are utopias for collectors and
non-collectors alike. In fact, over 90 percent of Boyds Bear Country visitors
are non-collectors—not surprising, notes Rich, "given the high-traffic,
popular areas in which the two stores are located."
Exclusive product offerings, workshops, live entertainment, a museum,
Bearwear, and much, much more beckon folks from all over the world. The whole
family will enjoy a fun-filled afternoon in Bear Country.
The buildings themselves are enough to ignite a sense of curiosity from
even the most mild-mannered passersby. Each store's exterior is fashioned in
the likeness of a big ol' barn and even boasts a silo!
The Boyds Bear Country in Pigeon Forge (opened in 2004) is nestled at the
foothills of the Smoky Mountains—truly one of the most beautiful areas
in the world—and it's been said that views from the three-story atrium
will take your breath away. The folks at Boyds have gone all out to make sure
the place is warm and inviting. A toasty fire blazes in the stone fireplace,
and the smells of "good, down-home cookin'" are enough to make you want to
extend your stay—at least through dinner.
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In the Teddy Bear Nursery, prospective "parents" can adopt cubs. |
The Gettysburg location (opened in 2002 and considered the flagship store)
is reflective of—and goes to great lengths to be respective of—the
immense amount of American history surrounding the area. Because much of the
land around Gettysburg is protected from development for the sake of
historical preservation or is part of the National Parks system, it seems
finding a suitable location upon which to build proved a challenge. The folks
at Boyds got lucky when they stumbled across a piece of developable farmland.
Still wanting to maintain the integrity of the area, the company was careful
about construction and development, and preserved much of the open field
around the store.
During the search for land for each location, other planning was underway.
From the interior to the exterior—and everything in
between—elements of the "Big Ol' Barns" were painstakingly thought out.
The company explored a variety of architectural concepts, including a building
resembling the Boyds paw-print logo. "Even utilitarian features, like
roadways, pathways, and traffic signs in the parking lot, had to fit the
feel," says Rich Scotti. Countless hours searching "the far corners of the
earth" for the right accents, decorations, and furnishings ensured that
everything was just so. Product displays were carefully crafted to inspire
guests to smile and have a great ole' time; menus were planned without regard
to carbs or calories.
Though Boyds Bear Country is all about fun, the Boyds folks share some
facts along the way. A "trip down memory lane" at the Gettysburg location
includes family photos and memorabilia of Gary Lowenthal's youth. A
modern-day "museum" boasts displays of early Boyds products. Fans will take
special interest in the areas devoted to the QVC shows and the Boyds
collectors' club.
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Make your own Boyds bear in the Super Duper Bear Factory. Be sure to include a "magic bean" to give your critter a "li'l bit of spunk." |
Special Stuff
Like the stores themselves, exclusive product offerings, entertainment, and
special events have been thoughtfully designed down to the last detail, and
some are even specific to each store. New Boyds collections are added twice a
year.
Ma, Pa and Junior…Blue Grass Band celebrates the country music
indicative of the Pigeon Forge area. Special events and seminars for that
location include classic country and gospel music, as well as a presentation
on how orphaned or injured bears are cared for and reintroduced back into in
the Great Smoky Mountains.
Events in Gettysburg include an Armed Forces Celebration, visits from
famous NASCAR drivers' cars, and Swap and Sell flea markets created especially
for buying and trading Boyds products. The Plush and Bearstone versions of
Mason and Dixon underscore the patriotic theme of this historic site, and Mrs.
Mason and Mrs. Dixon pay tribute the Union and Confederate women who supported
the soldiers of the Civil War. These plush bears have been outfitted with
authentic reproduction costumes incorporating period-correct colors, prints,
trims, and accessories, including Victorian-patterned decorative buttons.
Main Attractions
The folks at Boyds have covered all the bases by bringing to their stores a
little something for everyone.
In the Boyds Teddy Bear Nursery, "Nurse Carin" aids perspective "parents"
in choosing the perfect "adoptee." Each little bundle of joy is then wrapped
in his or her very own baby blanket and handed off to the adoptive parent,
along with an official adoption certificate, care aids, and a sentimental
snapshot of the blessed event.
Those not so inclined to adopt can visit Boyds Super Duper Bear Factory,
the perfect twist on the DYI craze. The "do it yerself" process includes
choosing your critter, selecting the color of beans with which to fill the new
friend—adding a magic bean to give your critter a li'l bit of
spunk—and naming and costuming your custom creation.
What child wouldn't love to celebrate with a "Super Duper Birthday Party,"
complete with specially designed invitations, cake, ice cream, pizza, and
goody bags?
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The Boyds Bear Country in Pigeon Forge was welcomed warmly and seems poised for success. |
Good Eats
Visitors won't go hungry. Boyds Bear Country stores offer enough fixin's
to keep you full the whole day through. Choose from Willie B. Bacon's Feed
Trough (deli sandwiches, soups, spuds, and salads); The Patchbeary Fruit &
Orchard Shack (frozen fruit smoothies, fresh fruits and nuts, and gooey
sundaes); Sweetie Pie's Bearkery (fresh-baked snacks and sweets,
fresh-squeezed lemonade, gourmet coffee, and old-fashioned candy treats), or
Rufus Dufus and Daryl's Dinner Hall (home-style country cookin' to fill you
up).
Travel Tips
Call each store's toll-free number, visit the Boyds Web site, or contact
the appropriate convention and visitors' bureaus for information on planning
your trip to a Boyds Bear Country store.
Gettysburg Info: 866-367-8338
www.boydsbearcountry.com
Convention and Visitor's Bureau:
www.gettysburgcvb.com
Pigeon Forge Info 888-654-6215
www.boydsbearcountry.com
Convention and Visitor's Bureau:
www.mypigeonforge.com
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