Inside Out

K'nex, Hatfield, Pa., will join the ranks of major children's property licensees next year through a deal with Sesame Workshop to create Sesame Street-themed building sets for toddlers. Launching in June 2008, the line will be designed for children ages 2 and up—the youngest audience yet for K'nex. Each set will be filled with custom building parts and will contain age-appropriate educational content ... Taggies Inc., Spencer, Mass., is expanding its retail distribution this fall to include more than 230 Babies “R” Us stores. The Babies “R” Us specialty presentation will include 15 SKUs—10 items from Taggies, two plush toys from Mary Meyer (pictured: Taggies Soft Giraffe) and three Sleep 'n' Play apparel sets from Rashti & Rashti ... Hit Entertainment, New York, is partnering with Ty's Toy Box's TTB Marketplace unit to expand e-commerce opportunities for its children's entertainment properties. Under the deal, TTB Marketplace will operate and assist in the expansion of Hit's current online store, Hitshopusa.com, with additional product categories and exclusive items ... KB Toys will close at least 30 of its 566 stores in the coming months as the toy retailer looks to return to its roots as a purveyor of primarily close-out merchandise under new president and CEO Andrew Bailen. Staff cuts at the retailer's Pittsfield, Mass., headquarters are also expected ... Mattel, El Segundo, Calif., will develop toys and other products based on RollBots, a Canadian-import animated series from Ottawa's Amberwood Entertainment, which is scheduled to debut in fall 2008, with related product to follow ... Toys “R” Us, Wayne, N.J., has expanded president Ron Boire's responsibilities to include its 67 toys stores and e-commerce business in Canada.Monika Merz, president of Toys “R” Us, Canada, will now report to Boire ... Learning Resources, Vernon Hills, Ill., has promoted Etienne Veber to chief executive officer. Veber was formerly Learning Resources' president and chief operating officer. Richard Woldenberg, formerly CEO, was named chairman of Learning Resources. In his new role, Veber will have overall strategic and operational responsibilities for the company's expanding global network. As chairman, Woldenberg will focus on long-term strategic and business development opportunities.