The 25th Annual Convention & Toy Expo was held in Arizona and brought together store owners, managers and over 100 toy vendors nationwide for a week of networking and celebration.
Learning Express has hosted its 25th Annual Convention & Toy Expo at the JW Marriott Starr Pass Resort & Spa in Tucson, Arizona. The event, which took place from 23rd June to 26th June, brought together store owners, managers and over 100 top toy vendors from across the country for a memorable week of networking, education and celebration.
The Learning Express Toys Annual Convention & Toy Expo is a cornerstone event for the franchise, offering a unique platform for franchisees and vendors to collaborate, discover new products and share best practices. Attendees had the opportunity to explore the latest trends in the toy industry, participate in interactive workshops and attend informative sessions designed to drive business growth and enhance the customer experience.
“We are thrilled to have celebrated our 25th Annual Convention & Toy Expo at the beautiful JW Marriott Starr Pass Resort & Spa,” said Lauren Derse, CEO of Learning Express Toys. “This event underscores the strength and dedication of our franchise community. It was a time to come together, learn from each other and continue to inspire the joy of play in children and families everywhere.”
During the convention, vendors were able to showcase the newest toys, games and educational products. There were also seminars featuring motivating speakers, updates on new systems, sales workshops and more. Additionally, there were networking opportunities, including events and activities designed to build relationships among franchisees, vendors and the Learning Express corporate team. An Awards Ceremony was held to honour outstanding achievements and contributions within the Learning Express community.
Award Announcements
Banquet Awards:
- Spotlight: Douglas & Hot Focus
- Toy of the Year: AirToobz from Fat Brain Toy
- Vendor of the Year: Thames & Kosmos
- Innovation: Ninja Silent Basketball from Flashsales
Sales Awards:
- 1st Place: Jazwares
- 2nd Place: Lego
- 3rd Place: Epoch Everlasting Play
- Increase Awards: Kawaii, US Toys, Mavi Bandz, Douglas Company, Epoch Everlasting
Best Marketing Programmes:
- Spring Craft Sale Vendors: Ooly, Faber Castell, Make It Real, US Toy
- Honourable Mention: US Toys’ Bunny Buffet Bucket Promotion
- Honourable Mention: Schylling for the Buy Two Get One Free NeeDoh Promotion
Direct Deal Programme:
- All Sports Marketing
- DM Merchandising
- Mavi
- iPlay
- iLearn
- iScream
- Salus Brands
Product Awards:
- Arts & Crafts – Mini Pottery Studio from Make It Real
- Party Favours – NeeDoh Nice Cube from Schylling
- Plush – Squishmallows from Jazwares
- Pre-school – Air Toobz from Fat Brain Toy Company
- Science – Hydraulic Boxing Bots and Night Vision Goggles from Thames and Kosmos
- Transit – Dino Stunt Car from HST
- Tween 7+ – Icee Machine from iScream
- Teen 13+ – Speks Magnet Balls from Speks
- Books – Color by Sticker Books from Peter Pauper Press
- Action/Skill Sports – Trampoline Pong from Thin Air
- Toddler – Fun Time Tractor from Epoch Everlasting Play
- Games – Fast Push Game from Leading Edge
- Infant – Light Up Noggin Stick from Smart Noggin
- Construction – Smart Max Exclusive Set from Smart Toys & Games
