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Playthings EXTRA
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Playthings EXTRA for August 26, 2009
 

Editorial Opportunity: Dallas Toy Preview

Playthings' October 2009 issue will feature a spotlight on new products exhibitors will be showing at the Fall Toy Preview in Dallas. To have your products included in our preview, send press releases and high res image(s) to Playthings' editors at toyfairitems@reedbusiness.com by Sept. 1. You must be an exhibitor at the show to be included.
 
 
Hasbro
Hasbro plans dino toys for TRU
Hasbro will launch a series of Jurassic Park action figures exclusively at Toys R Us this fall. Click to continue
 
Battat brings 'Baby Genius' toys to market
Battat will debut a line of Baby Genius branded preschool toys exclusively at Walmart this month. Click to continue
 
 
GameStop dips as hardware sales slip
Video game retailer GameStop Corp. saw its second quarter sales slip 3.7 percent on a double-digit decline in same-store sales. Click to continue
 

TOY OF THE WEEK
In the tradition of singing fish and other novelty products that tickled the public’s fancy through sheer silliness comes Norman PhartEphant, from Fierce Fun Toys. Click to continue
 
Obituary: Saul Rubenstein, KB Toys president
Longtime KB Toys buyer and president Saul Rubenstein died on August 20. He was 80 years old. Click to continue
 
 
Sterling
Sterling recalls 'eebee' book
Sterling Publishing, New York, is recalling 15,000 eebee’s Adventures "Have a Ball!" cloth books because they pose a choking hazard. Click to continue
 
Wham-O CEO sues after post-purchase ouster
Former Wham-O president and CEO Mojde Esfandiari is suing the outdoor toy maker for breach of contract following her termination upon the closing of the company’s sale last month to investment firm The Aguilar Group. Click to continue
 
 
Smith
Smith & Tinker ups
funding by $29M
Smith & Tinker, marketer of the new Nanovor virtual world and handheld game, has raised $29 million in venture capital. Major investments came from a who's who of firms VCs with connections to the video game and toy businesses. Click to continue
 

Out of the Toy Box Blog: Sears and kids
Richard Gottlieb writes: It has long been my belief that toy departments draw children and children draw parents. Therefore, any retailer who takes out or downsizes (pay attention here Wal-Mart) a toy department runs the risk of losing the family shopper. Sears took theirs out in the '90s and subsequently lost women and kids and became a destination for men. Since then, Sears’s revenues have been in a steady decline as the kids drove their families elsewhere.

Click to continue
 
PLAYTHINGS.com POLL

This month both MGA Entertainment (Moxie Girlz) and Spin Master (Liv) introduced new fashion doll lines. What are your expectations for their success against Barbie?

  • Neither stands a chance
  • Spin Master might just dethrone Queen B
  • MGA's was close with Bratz; this time they do it
  • Combined they'll give Mattel a run for their money
  • I don't know enough about either to make a prediction

To vote on this week’s poll, or to see the results of previous poll questions, visit www.Playthings.com.

For daily news updates visit the "Breaking News" section of www.Playthings.com

Have a profitable week,

Cliff Annicelli, Editor
Karyn Peterson, Managing Editor
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