Vermont Teddy Bear Company
If you’re in a rush to get on the road, skip on down a few paragraphs to the Teddy Bear Factory Tour details. But if you’ve got the time, we’ll fill you in on the history of the Teddy Bear and the Vermont Teddy Bear Company.
The story goes that President Theodore Roosevelt went down to Mississippi to referee a border dispute between Mississippi and Louisiana. While down there, President Roosevelt decided to go bear hunting, but didn't see one bear after three days of hunting. One of the guides captured a cub and tied it to a tree the President could get his bear.
President Roosevelt refused to shoot the bear and told the guides to turn it loose. The story made its way back to Washington, DC and a Washington Post journalist named Clifford Berryman heard the story and drew up a cartoon telling the tale. When those cartoons ran on November 16, 1902 they caused quite a stir. Soon everyone was telling their own version of the story of Teddy’s bear.
A couple that owned a candy store in Brooklyn, Morris and Rose Michtom, saw that cartoon and had the idea to made up a cute little toy bear to draw attention to their store. Of course, they weren’t the first to make toy bears, but bears are supposed to be fierce and everyone had always made their toy bears mean and nasty. ‘Teddy’s Bear’ was quite a hit. Knowing a good thing when they saw it, the Mitchtoms started the Ideal Novelty and Toy Company to make cute bears.
Vermont got into the act in 1981. The Vermont Teddy Bear Company was started by Shelburne resident John Sortino. He got the idea after noting that all his son's toy bears were made overseas. He decided to make some homemade bears. It took a while for the idea to catch, but soon the Vermont Teddy Bear Company was sending bears through the mail. He made up some bear traveling boxes - being careful to poke air holes to let bears breath, and started out sending what he called a Bear-Gram®.
Starting with a Valentine's advertising campaign in 1990, the company took off. Every Vermont Teddy Bear is still handmade in Vermont, USA. And each bear is built just the way you want it. Each bear is guaranteed for life. If your bear is ever in an accident, rush him to the Bear Hospital where they’ll mend him and nurse him back to health.
The Teddy Bear Factory keeps dreaming up new bears. They’ve got over 100 styles of bears - a bear for any occasion you could send a card or flowers. Send Get Well Bears, Bride & Groom Bears or just good old Teddy Bear Bears. Who knew bears could be teachers or Doctors? You’ll find Police Officer Bears, Firefighter Bears, Soldier Bears and Handy Bears. Some bears try their hand as Accountant Bears, Lawyer Bears, or Racecar Driving Bears. Bad to the bone bears become Biker Bears. Guess we should have guessed there’d be an Elvis Bear.
You can see for yourself by taking the Vermont Teddy Bear Factory Tour. You start by looking over the bear designers' shoulder to see the new bears they're dreaming up. Then you’re off to see each bear's fur getting cut to a perfect fit. Next you see how each bear is sewn and hand stuffed to the perfect cuddliness before they get dressed up. Then you say "good-bye" to the bears as each is tucked into his box, and he's off on his trip to his new home.
The Teddy Bear Factory has a cafe that serves breakfast, lunch & dinner. During the summer, the Factory has a snack bar that features Ben & Jerry's Ice Cream (made by another pair of Vermonters).
The Vermont Teddy Bear Factory and their Bear Shop are open almost every day. Tours are $2 for adults, or you can print out free ticket for your family here on The Vermont Teddy Bear website. If the coupon doesn't pop up in it's own little window, you can find the link about 3/4 of the way down the menu on the left.
| Contact Information | ||
| Name: | Vermont Teddy Bear Company | |
| Address: | Rt. 7 | |
| City: | Shelburne | |
| Phone: | (802) 985-3001 | |
| Web Site: | www.VermontTeddyBear.com | |
| Hours: | Summer season Bear Shop | |
| Admission: | $2.00 for adults. Kids 12 and under can get in free. | |
| Map: | Map | |
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