Kahootz Toys
| Industry | Toy Company |
|---|---|
| Founded | 2012 |
| Founder | Doug Cass Colleen Loughman Joe Yassay Brent Oeschger |
| Defunct | 2019 |
| Fate | Acquired by PlayMonster |
Kahootz Toys was a toy company based in Ann Arbor, Michigan, best known for the relaunch of the classic toy Spirograph. Kahootz was founded in 2012 and acquired by PlayMonster in 2019.
History
[edit]Kahootz founded in January 2012 by Doug Cass, Colleen Loughman, Joe Yassay, and Brent Oeschger[1] after their previous company, Giddy Up, was sold. Kahootz' initial product offerings were Spirograph and Pomz.[2] In a 2013 interview,[3] Cass stated that they brought back the Spirograph because they saw an opportunity for success in the nostalgia market and felt that it would do well. The first shipment of Spirograph arrived just before Christmas in 2012.
The Spirograph (along with Kahootz' Lite-Brite) was exhibited at the 2013 Sweet Suite 13[4] show in Chicago, Illinois and the 2014 American International Toy Fair in New York City, New York.[5] Since then, Kahootz Toys has expanded and released numerous new products and lines.
In 2019 Kahootz launched Y'Art™, a brand of craft kits that allows consumers to color-by-number with yarn. The craft kits were debuted at Toy Fair of the same year and led to the puppy kit winning the ASTRA Best Toys for Kids award in the Arts & Crafts: 7+ category.[6]
Kahootz was acquired by PlayMonster in November 2019.[7]
Brands
[edit]- Spirograph
- Y'Art
- Fashion Plates
- LatchKits
- Waterfuls
- Colorforms
- Fashion Press
- Stitchkits
- Popoids
- Plasticine
- HypnoGizmo
- Action Plates
- Rotodraw
- Creative Galaxy
- Romper Room
- Lite-Brite (discontinued)
- Pomz (discontinued)
Awards
[edit]| Award | Year | Product |
|---|---|---|
| ASTRA Best Toys for Kids | 2019 | Y'Art™ Craft Kit - Puppy[8] |
| The Toy Insider Top Holiday Toys | 2016 | Spirograph Jr., Spirograph Shapes, Fashion Plates Superstar[9] |
| The Toy Insider Top Spring and Summer Toys | 2016 | Fashion Plates Superstar[10] |
| Cool Mom Picks Editor's Best | 2015 | Action Plates[11] |
| ASTRA Best Toys for Kids | 2015 | Fashion Plates Deluxe Kit[12] |
| The Toy Insider Top Holiday Toys | 2015 | Spirograph My Little Pony Design Set[13][14] |
| EdPlay The Fabulous Award Runner-Up | 2015 | Original Spirograph Deluxe Set[15] |
| Toy Industry Association Toy of the Year Finalist | 2014 | Original Spirograph Deluxe Set[16] |
| ASTRA Best Toys for Kids | 2013 | Original Spirograph Deluxe Set[17] |
References
[edit]- ^ Freed, Ben (2012-12-23). "Classic toy Spirograph makes a comeback thanks to Ann Arbor-based company". The Ann Arbor News. Retrieved 2014-07-31.
- ^ Dunn, Patrick (2013-01-09). "Kahootz Toys Is Hard At Play". Concentrate Media. Retrieved 2014-07-31.
- ^ "Five Questions with Doug Cass, Co-Founder of Kahootz". The Big Toy Book. 2013-05-01. Archived from the original on 2014-08-08. Retrieved 2014-07-31.
- ^ https://www.eventbrite.com/e/the-big-toy-book-sweet-suite-event-2013-tickets-6770004265 The Big Toy Book Sweet Suite Event 2013
- ^ Kuperinsky, Amy (2014-02-18). "Toy Fair 2014: Lite-Brite and other vintage toys stage a comeback". The Star-Ledger. Retrieved 2014-07-31.
- ^ "2019 Winners - Best Toys for Kids". besttoys.astratoy.org. Retrieved 2019-06-14.
- ^ ricky (2019-11-15). "PlayMonster acquires Kahootz Toys". Toy World Magazine | The business magazine with a passion for toys. Retrieved 2024-05-06.
- ^ "2019 Winners - Best Toys for Kids". besttoys.astratoy.org. Retrieved 2019-06-14.
- ^ Insider, The Toy. "The Toy Insider Unveils the Hottest Toys for Holiday 2016 with Hot 20, Top Tech 12 and STEM 10 Lists". www.prnewswire.com. Retrieved 2017-06-14.
- ^ "Best Summer Toys Of 2016 - Toy Reviews - The Toy Insider". The Toy Insider. Retrieved 2017-06-14.
- ^ "The best kids' toys + playful gifts of 2015 | CoolMomPicks". Cool Mom Picks. 2015-12-29. Retrieved 2017-06-14.
- ^ "ASTRA Names 2015 Best Toys for Kids Winners | Gifts & Dec". www.giftsanddec.com. Retrieved 2017-06-14.
- ^ "Toy Reviews - 2015 Holiday Gift Guide - Toy Insider". The Toy Insider. Retrieved 2017-06-14.
- ^ "Experience the Magic of My Little Pony Spirograph - The Toy Insider". The Toy Insider. 2015-12-19. Retrieved 2017-06-14.
- ^ "Fabulous Awards 2015 - edplay". edplay. Retrieved 2017-06-14.
- ^ Association, Toy Industry. "Toy Industry Unveils Nominees for 2014 Toy of the Year (TOTY) Awards". www.prnewswire.com. Retrieved 2017-06-14.
- ^ ASTRA. "ASTRA Announces Best Toys for Kids 2013". www.prnewswire.com. Retrieved 2017-06-14.
External links
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