Learning Express Toys, incorporated in 1987 as Learning Express, Inc., is a
specialty toy, game and book retailer and
franchisor
Franchising is based on a marketing concept which can be adopted by an organization as a strategy for business expansion. Where implemented, a franchisor licenses some or all of its know-how, procedures, intellectual property, use of its busine ...
headquartered in
Devens, Massachusetts
Devens is a regional enterprise zone and census-designated place in the towns of Ayer and Shirley (in Middlesex County) and Harvard (in Worcester County) in the U.S. state of Massachusetts. It is the successor to Fort Devens, a military post tha ...
, United States. The company franchises specialty toy stores in the United States, each locally owned and operated. It also operates online at learningexpress.com.
History
Sharon DiMinico, chair of the
Board of Directors
A board of directors (commonly referred simply as the board) is an executive committee that jointly supervises the activities of an organization, which can be either a for-profit or a nonprofit organization such as a business, nonprofit organiz ...
and parent of two children at Groton Community School, proposed a
business plan in 1987 for the school to open a specialty toy store in order to prevent tuition increases. Later that spring, the school opened the first Learning Express in
Acton Acton may refer to:
Places Antarctica
* Mount Acton
Australia
* Acton, Australian Capital Territory, a suburb of Canberra
* Acton, Tasmania, a suburb of Burnie
* Acton Park, Tasmania, a suburb of Hobart, Tasmania, formerly known as Acton
Canada ...
, Massachusetts, and, six months later, Sharon opened the first store owned by Learning Express, Inc. in
Needham, Massachusetts. Inspired by an article about
franchising
Franchising is based on a marketing concept which can be adopted by an organization as a strategy for business expansion. Where implemented, a franchisor licenses some or all of its know-how, procedures, intellectual property, use of its busine ...
in
Inc. Magazine
''Inc.'' is an American business magazine founded in 1979 and based in New York City. The magazine publishes six issues per year, along with surrounding online and social media content. The magazine also produces several live and virtual events y ...
, Sharon licensed the company's first franchise location in
Andover
Andover may refer to:
Places Australia
* Andover, Tasmania
Canada
* Andover Parish, New Brunswick
* Perth-Andover, New Brunswick
United Kingdom
* Andover, Hampshire, England
** RAF Andover, a former Royal Air Force station
United States
* Ando ...
, Massachusetts in 1990.
Stores
Most Learning Express Toys locations are in
strip centers, regional
malls,
lifestyle centers, and
town centers. They range in size from around 1,200
square feet to 4,000 square feet, though 2,500 square feet is a typical size.
Convention
Since 1999, Learning Express Toys 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. Notable vendor awards include "Vendor of the Year" and "Toy of the Year."
Catalog
Learning Express Toys produces several print catalogs each year and two during the critical toy industry holiday season during November and December. The holiday catalog is distributed to customers nationwide. Individual store owners use the catalog as a guide for toy purchases throughout the year.
[Toy Directory Monthly -]
Learning Express CEO Knows Specialty Retail
- February 2006
References
External links
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Learning Express Inc
Companies based in Middlesex County, Massachusetts
1987 establishments in Massachusetts
Retail companies established in 1987
Toy retailers of the United States