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Zany Brainy
Company type
Subsidiary
Industry
Retail
Founded
1991
Founder
David Schlessinger
Defunct
2003
Fate
Bankruptcy, dissolved by parent company
Successor
Five Below
Headquarters
King of Prussia, Pennsylvania, United States
Products
Toys
Parent
FAO Schwarz
Website
www.zanybrainy.com
Zany Brainy was an American retail store chain owned by FAO Schwarz. Its merchandise consisted of educational toys and multi-media products aimed at children ages 4–13, such as games and puzzles, infant development toys, books, audiocassettes, CDs, videos, arts and crafts, building toys and trains, computer software, electronic learning aids and musical instruments, science toys, plush toys and dolls, and sports-themed toys. The stores offered daily events such as workshops, concerts, and author appearances.
David Schlessinger, who had earlier started the now-defunct Encore Books chain of bookstores, founded Zany Brainy in 1991. The company filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection on May 15, 2001, having faced financial difficulties since acquiring rival company Noodle Kidoodle in 2000. At the time its assets were sold to Right Start later that year,[1] Zany Brainy had 187 retail locations nationwide. It announced the shuttering of its remaining stores in December 2003.[2][3]
David Schlessinger and former Zany Brainy CEO Thomas Vellios would later open a chain of discount stores named Five Below in October 2002.
Zany Brainy was revived as an online store in 2020, with a select line of products.
^Per Zany Brainy, Inc. et al Plan of Liquidation filed with the U.S. Bankruptcy Court, District of Wilmington, DE (Case #01-1749)
^"Zany Brainy stores to close". Columbus Business First. December 3, 2003. Retrieved March 16, 2022.
^Weiskott, Maria (December 2, 2003). "Bankrupt FAO to liquidate Zany Brainy". Playthings. Archived from the original on December 4, 2003. Retrieved May 9, 2024.
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its corporate name to FAO Inc. operating stores under The Right Start, ZanyBrainy and FAO Schwarz names. On December 17, the company projected they would...
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possibilities. In 2001, they purchased FAO Schwarz from Royal Vendex KBB and ZanyBrainy. They changed their name in 2002 to FAO Inc. In 2003, they twice filed...
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Pennsylvania David Schlessinger, 1972, founder of United States retail stores ZanyBrainy and Five Below Aharon Wasserman, 2005, computer technologist "Friends...
Retrieved July 20, 2012. Mangan, Jennifer (August 17–23, 1997). "'Daria': Brainy = Zany in MTV's irreverent view of 'girl humor'". Chicago Tribune. Chicago...
Lawndale". The New York Times. Retrieved March 19, 2012. "'Daria': Brainy = Zany in MTV's irreverent view of 'girl humor,'"[permanent dead link] Chicago...
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the series had episodes in various places and periods of time. In their zany hijinks, the Animaniacs characters interacted with famous people and creators...
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