Zany Brainy was an American

retail store The retail format (also known as the retail formula) influences the consumer's store choice and addresses the consumer's expectations. At its most basic level, a retail format is a simple marketplace, that is; a location where goods and services ar ...

chain subsidiary of

FAO Schwarz FAO Schwarz is an American toy brand and Toy store, retail chain. The company is known for its high-end toys, life-sized stuffed animals, Interactivity, interactive experiences, Product placement, brand integrations, and games. FAO Schwarz clai ...

. 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 CDS, CDs, Cds, etc. may refer to: Finance * Canadian Depository for Securities, Canadian post-trade financial services company * Certificate of deposit (CDs) * Counterfeit Deterrence System, developed by the Central Bank Counterfeit Deterrence ...

, videos,

arts and crafts The Arts and Crafts movement was an international trend in the Decorative arts, decorative and fine arts that developed earliest and most fully in the British Isles and subsequently spread across the British Empire and to the rest of Europe and ...

, 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 David Schlessinger (born September 20, 1936, in Toronto, Canada) is a Canadian-born American biochemist, microbiologist, and geneticist. He is known for his directorship of the development of the map of the X chromosome. (with sections "Biography" ...

, who had earlier started the now-defunct

Encore Books Encore Books was a regional chain of bookstores based in the eastern United States until its closure in 1999. Founding Encore Books was started by David Schlessinger, who went on to found the Zany Brainy and Five Below retail chains. It enjoyed ...

chain of bookstores, founded Zany Brainy in 1991. The company filed for

Chapter 11 Chapter 11 of the United States Bankruptcy Code ( Title 11 of the United States Code) permits reorganization under the bankruptcy laws of the United States. Such reorganization, known as Chapter 11 bankruptcy, is available to every business, w ...

bankruptcy Bankruptcy is a legal process through which people or other entities who cannot repay debts to creditors may seek relief from some or all of their debts. In most jurisdictions, bankruptcy is imposed by a court order, often initiated by the deb ...

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, Zany Brainy had 187 retail locations nationwide. It announced the shuttering of its remaining stores in December 2003. David Schlessinger and former Zany Brainy

CEO A chief executive officer (CEO), also known as a chief executive or managing director, is the top-ranking corporate officer charged with the management of an organization, usually a company or a nonprofit organization. CEOs find roles in variou ...

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.

References

Retail companies established in 1991 Retail companies disestablished in 2003 Companies that filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 2001 Companies that filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 2003 Toy retailers of the United States Educational toy retailers 1991 establishments in California 2003 disestablishments in California Defunct retail companies of the United States {{Toy-stub