Fluff flies when dozens of children at corporate Christmas parties beat the stuffings into teddy bears.
Bonnie Johnson, who co-owns Create-a-Critter with husband Michael, hauled 100 of the fuzzy creatures to Lovelock to entertain 85 children at the Coeur Rochester Mine Christmas party. Ditto for the 60 kids in attendance at the holiday party for West Coast Contractors employees.
Parties are what sets her business apart from the national retailers such a Build-A-Bear Workshop, says Johnson.
On any Saturday during the winter months, she might be supplying the fixins for up to 12 birthday parties, either at homes or at the 2,000-square-foot store at the Moana West Annex.
And business is not just about bears she sometimes caters the entire affair, from food to fun. Prices range from $16 to $25 per child plus food and accessories.
Customers can choose from over 50 different animals, which they stuff and accessorize from over 400 outfits.
It's not just for children.
A 48-year-old man, a bear collector with 4,000 teddies at home, held his birthday party at the store.
A wedding party had bride and groom bears stand up for the couple.
A cabal of seven high school girls came in to record messages on sound chips imbedded within the bears. They exchanged the keepsakes before heading off to separate colleges.
Johnson worked in the medical field for 38 years before making the radical career change.
