The Biz: The Grapevine

There’s a reason Bob Barker is always telling us to spay and neuter our pets. Pet overpopulation is no joke, and as people become more aware, fostering and rescuing dogs has become more popular. Carianne Burnley launched Petsapalooza LLC in 2009 to create high-quality fun toys for pet lovers that also teach about the importance of pet adoption. The idea for Petsapalooza came from Carianne’s love of animals, and also from years of volunteering at a local shelter and being on their Board of Directors. She knew kids loved animals and pretend play, so why not combine the two?

Here’s a toy that hits the kid jackpot big time, combining cute, cuddly animals, state-of-the-art technology and the pure pleasure of playing games on smart phones and tablets. Scanimalz, originally from Scandinavia, offer the kind of Scantastic fun that delights young ones and brings smiles to those who shop for them, both because the whole concept is appealing and the price reasonable. Smart retailers, start your engines and get in on the action with this collectable toy group that is winning kudos from both girls and boys.

“I was truly at my wit’s end,” shares Erin Kelly, founder of Hulabye. Like many other enthusiastic parents, Kelly was enthralled with every stage of her daughter’s growth… until baby decided that life was too short to stay still for a diaper change. The squirmy tot made diaper changes a challenge, but Kelly, who is also a physician, put her creativity to work. Her diligence to create a superior product has paid off: the Happy Changer, a vest design which secures baby safely to a changing pad, is a hands-down customer favorite.

Since every baby is unique with his or her own special shape, look and needs, it makes sense to select just the right pacifier rather than a one-for-all type. Show shoppers the clever designs from Difrax, a three-stage pacifier system that caters to the needs a child’s developmental stages. Difrax pacifiers have an underlying concept: a butterfly shape proven to prevent baby’s nose from being obstructed. A trusted European brand, Difrax has won numerous awards for superior baby products, designed to make the first few years of a child’s life as comfortable as possible while offering superior parental convenience.