Bunnies By The Bay

Bunnies By The Bay is a United States-based brand known for plush animals, infant gifts, and related products for babies and toddlers. The business was established in 1986 by sisters Suzanne Knutson and Krystal Kirkpatrick. In its early years, the founders operated a sewing workshop in Anacortes, Washington, where they made plush rabbits in different outfits. Each rabbit was given an individual name and accompanied by a short piece of verse, helping the products function not only as toys but also as character-based keepsakes and gift items. The company later broadened its direction. During an economic downturn, the founders were joined by Jeanne-Ming Hayes, and the three founders redirected the business toward a wider assortment of gifts for infants and young children. This shift moved Bunnies By The Bay beyond its original rabbit-centered craft concept and toward a more comprehensive baby-gift brand. Its assortment has included soft toys, comfort-oriented products, and other giftable items intended for newborns, toddlers, and families. Bunnies By The Bay has maintained a regional retail presence in northwest Washington, with stores in La Conner and Anacortes. Its products have also been distributed through boutiques, gift shops, major retailers, and the company’s online shop, giving the brand an international reach despite its small regional retail footprint. The brand’s positioning centers on soft, whimsical, story-oriented products designed for gifting, nursery settings, early childhood companionship, and milestone occasions. The company underwent an ownership change in February 2013, when Kids Preferred acquired Bunnies By The Bay. In July 2019, the brand separated from Kids Preferred and returned to its original owners. The separation restored the business to its founding ownership group while preserving its established identity and product focus. Bunnies By The Bay has also received visibility through specialty and destination retail. It was among the toy companies included in the November 2018 reopening of FAO Schwarz in New York. The brand was subsequently represented in international FAO Schwarz openings in Beijing, London, and Dublin. These placements associated Bunnies By The Bay with curated, premium toy and gift retail, complementing its distribution through independent boutiques and conventional retailers. The brand remains active and continues to operate retail locations in Washington while making its products available through broader wholesale and online channels. Publicly available reference material does not establish a current parent company, public listing, ticker symbol, or detailed current executive roster.

Bunnies By The Bay began in 1986 when sisters Suzanne Knutson and Krystal Kirkpatrick established a sewing workshop in Anacortes, Washington. The founders initially concentrated on handmade plush rabbits. Rather than treating the animals as generic soft toys, they created rabbits in different outfits, assigned each one a name, and paired the characters with short verse. This combination of craft production, character identity, and poetic presentation gave the early products a distinctive gift-store appeal. The company’s direction changed during an economic downturn. Jeanne-Ming Hayes joined Knutson and Kirkpatrick as a third founder, and the business broadened its focus from plush rabbits to gifts for babies and toddlers. The revised assortment allowed Bunnies By The Bay to serve a wider range of occasions, including newborn gifts, early-childhood presents, and nursery-related purchases. Plush animals remained central to the brand, but the business increasingly presented itself as a baby-gift company rather than solely as a maker of rabbit toys. The brand developed from its Washington workshop into a multichannel business. It established two retail locations in northwest Washington, in La Conner and Anacortes, while distributing products through boutiques, gift shops, major retailers, and its online shop. Although its physical stores remained regional, the combination of wholesale distribution and e-commerce made the products available internationally. A major corporate transition occurred in February 2013, when Kids Preferred acquired Bunnies By The Bay. The transaction connected the brand with a larger company in the toy and gift sector. Bunnies By The Bay subsequently separated from Kids Preferred in July 2019 and returned to its original owners. This change restored the brand to its founding ownership group and marked a return to independent ownership after approximately six years under Kids Preferred. Retail visibility was strengthened through the FAO Schwarz relationship. Bunnies By The Bay was one of the relatively small number of toy companies included in the November 2018 reopening of the well-known FAO Schwarz store in New York. The brand was also included in FAO Schwarz locations opened internationally in Beijing, London, and Dublin. These placements broadened its exposure among shoppers seeking distinctive, character-based toys and premium baby gifts. Bunnies By The Bay remains an active brand with roots in handmade plush production and a broader present-day emphasis on infant and toddler gifts. Its identity is built around softness, whimsy, named characters, and products that can serve as both developmental playthings and sentimental keepsakes. Available reference material confirms its Washington retail operations and worldwide distribution, but does not provide a current corporate website, detailed financial information, or a verified list of present-day executives.

1. 2019Returned to original owners

   The brand separated from Kids Preferred in July 2019 and returned to its original owners.

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2. 2018Featured in the FAO Schwarz New York reopening

   Bunnies By The Bay was included among the toy companies presented at the November 2018 reopening of FAO Schwarz in New York.

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3. 2013Acquired by Kids Preferred

   Kids Preferred acquired Bunnies By The Bay in February 2013.

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4. 1986Brand founded in Anacortes

   Suzanne Knutson and Krystal Kirkpatrick founded Bunnies By The Bay and began making characterful plush rabbits in an Anacortes, Washington sewing workshop.

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5. Business expanded into infant gifts

   During an economic downturn, Jeanne-Ming Hayes joined the founders and the company redirected its focus toward gifts for babies and toddlers.

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A whimsical, story-led baby and toddler gift brand offering soft plush companions and nursery-oriented products through specialty retail, major retailers, and online channels.

• Character plush rabbitsPlush toys1986

  The brand’s original products were soft rabbit toys made in different outfits. Each rabbit received an individual name and a short verse, giving the plush characters a narrative and collectible quality beyond their function as conventional stuffed animals.

• Baby and toddler giftsInfant gifts

  Following its strategic expansion, Bunnies By The Bay developed a broader assortment for babies and toddlers. These products are positioned for newborn gifting, nursery use, early childhood companionship, and family milestones, with softness and visual whimsy as recurring design attributes.

• Stuffed animals and comfort toysPlush toys

  Plush animals and comfort-oriented soft toys form a central part of the brand’s gift assortment. They are designed to be tactile companions for infants and young children while also serving as keepsake-style presents.

• Silicone teethersBaby accessories

  Silicone teethers are associated with the brand’s infant-product offering and extend its assortment beyond plush toys into practical products for babies’ early developmental stages.

• 2019Separation from Kids PreferredM&A

  After approximately six years under Kids Preferred ownership, the brand changed ownership again.

  What changed. In July 2019, Bunnies By The Bay separated from Kids Preferred and returned to its original owners.

  Aftermath. The transaction restored the brand to its founding ownership group. Public reference material does not specify the transaction value or detailed terms.

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• 2013Acquisition by Kids PreferredM&A

  Bunnies By The Bay had developed from a regional sewing workshop into a baby-gift and plush brand with broader retail distribution.

  What changed. Kids Preferred acquired the brand in February 2013.

  Aftermath. The brand operated under Kids Preferred until its separation and return to the original owners in 2019.

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• Shift from rabbit plush to a broader baby-gift businessStrategy

  The company began as a maker of handmade, character-based plush rabbits. During an economic downturn, the founders were joined by Jeanne-Ming Hayes and reassessed the business direction.

  What changed. Bunnies By The Bay expanded its focus to gifts for babies and toddlers while retaining plush products as a core category.

  Aftermath. The shift broadened the brand’s addressable gift occasions and supported distribution through boutiques, gift shops, major retailers, and online channels.

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• 2019Bunnies By The Bay separated from Kids Preferred

  In July 2019, Bunnies By The Bay separated from Kids Preferred and returned to its original owners.

  M&A
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• 2018Bunnies By The Bay included in FAO Schwarz reopening

  The brand was among the toy companies featured when FAO Schwarz reopened its New York store in November 2018.

  Other
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• 2013Kids Preferred acquired Bunnies By The Bay

  Kids Preferred acquired Bunnies By The Bay in February 2013, placing the independent baby-gift and plush brand under a larger toy-company owner.

  M&A
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• Bunnies By The Bay included in international FAO Schwarz openings

  The brand was also included in FAO Schwarz openings in Beijing, London, and Dublin.

  Other
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1. Bunnies By The Bay