Page 22 - Toy & Hobby Retailer Magazine May-July 2019

INTERNATIONAL TOY FAIRS
SPIELWARENMESSE 2019
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1. Geo Australia - Peter and Elizabeth Madner.
2. Papoose Toys - Renske Carbone.
3. Colorific - Mark Levi and Andrew Bedford.
4. Light My Bricks - Kenny Lee and Wei Tan.
5. Statmart-Partilicious - Nicky and Barry Rogers.
6. Hunter Products - Madeleine Hunter and Jordan Bannister.
7. Himalayan Felt Company - Lobsang Lakatsang.
8. Skate Innovation - Daniel de Gaye and Jason Koch.
9. The Little Architect - Vince, Fabrizio and Gina Caponio.
10. Green Rubber Toys - Lou Papaleo.
First-timers at the fair also included Kenny Lee and Wei Tan at the Light My Bricks stand. The product – a lighting system for Lego – is aimed at serious Lego collectors and displayers, who can add another dimension to their completed Lego sets with lights. The lights are compatible with all Lego sets and come in a variety of packs to decorate any size build. Lee and Tan also said they have a sound-board in the works, to bring further life to the builds.
The Himalayan Felt Company was also a newcomer to the fair, with Lobsang Lakatsang showcasing beautiful fairtrade, ethically-made, felt products, all of which are handmade in Nepal, Kathmandu. From fairies to rainbow unicorns to fairy houses, the products all exude the charm and uniqueness that comes with handmade toys. Another Aussie embracing the busyness of Spielwarenmesse for the first time was Chris Carpenter at Freod Games. Carpenter is an
exploration geophysicist by trade, but his part-time passion for game design soon became a full-time business, founding Freod Games in 1998. And don't let the seemingly simple looking games fool you, your brain definitely gets a workout playing these quick-reaction, fast-paced games!
To celebrate its 70th year, closing out the second night of the fair, the organisers held the ToyFestival – a giant party – to celebrate and commemorate 70 great years of the show.
CEO of Speilwarenmesse, Ernst Kick, says that the celebration provided an opportunity to appreciate and thank the toy industry.
“We saw our 70th anniversary as an opportunity to say thank you to the industry. At the ToyFestival, we all raise[d] a toast to the event and this special occasion.”
In the wake of the fair, the exhibitors gave their highest satisfaction rate ever, with 83.5 per cent rating the show as either “very good” or
22 TOY & HOBBY RETAILER MAY / JULY 2019
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