Kids Penguin Socks

It’s been about seven months since the factory fire at the Fore Bare Feet plant in Helmsburg, Indiana that destroyed all their inventory and sock manufacturing equipment.  As we were getting about half our adult and kids penguin socks from Fore Bare Feet this was not just a devastating blow for the folks associated with the F.B.F. but for Penguin Place and penguin sock lovers the world over.  At the time

I could almost smell the penguin socks burning.

we were very worried that the factory would not return, along with the 150 or so jobs, not to mention 50% of our penguin sock inventory. But, fear not penguin sock fans.  Fore Bare Feet has re-built their plant and have been installing their huge knitting machines as they slowly but surely get back into the business of making  (penguin) socks.  This week marked our first delivery of penguin socks

from the sock manufacturer back from the ashes with our Kids Penguin Chicks socks (adult penguin chick socks should be here next week).  Over the next few months the entire penguin sock line should be back in stock along with a couple of new designs. Oh happy days!

Our latest kids penguin sock

Penguin Socks

How many different penguin socks styles are too many penguin socks?  That’s a question that may never be answered, but as of this afternoon our count at Penguin Place is 20. Yes, 20 different styles of penguin socks! Even so with all these different penguin sock styles today was a kind of sad day here in our igloo, as this morning our last pair of purple skating penguin socks waddled out the door.  Alas, after many years of loyal service they have been discontinued by the manufacturer, or retired as they now say in the wonderful world of retail.  So, to make up for this loss we ordered two new penguin sock styles which we think the penguin loving public will love.  Our Penguins On Gray socks which are at once fun and elegant, and the same can be said for our classy Emperor Penguins socks.  Both are from Wheel House Designs in Vermont and being that Vermont is only about 25 miles up the road from us I think it’s safe to say that they’re made in the good old U.S. of A.

Penguin Stuff

When people ask me what kind of stuff I offer at Penguin Place, my response is invariably to say that they already answered their own question.  Penguin stuff and all kinds of cool penguin stuff I’ll say. Then we’ll go through an informal checklist.  Jewelry? Got it. Socks? Got it. Oven Mitts? Got it. Backpacks? Got it, and on it goes.  Today we got in red penguin suspenders in adult and 3 different kids sizes.  Yesterday, a penguin toothbrush UV Sanitizer and the day before penguin shaped pasta and a penguin crossing key chain. In other words, penguin stuff and lots of it.

Penguin Suspendars

Penguin Socks Go Up In Smoke

When I phoned the For Bare Feet Offices yesterday to place my holiday penguin socks order little did I know I would be in for a shock, as I was quickly informed that a fire had destroyed the factory, knitting machines and (I can hardly even write this)  inventory at their sprawling Helmsburg, Ohio factory Saturday afternoon.  Everything? I asked.  “Everything, not a sock is left”.  Came the matter of fact reply.

Our Fun Penguin Ankle Sock is one of the 8 penguin socks we get from For Bare Feet.

The fire caused the roof to collapse on the roughly 10,000-square-foot production room, where an estimated 75 to 100 knitting machines were housed, as well as their inventory of thousands of pairs of socks, including their entire inventory of penguin socks.  Penguin Place receives about half of our penguin sock inventory from For Bare Feet including our Black, Facts Of, Chilling,Fun, Polka Dot, On Ice (adult & kids), Bubble (adult & kids) and March of The Penguins socks.  According to a For Bare Feet Spokesperson the factory will not be up and running again until early 2012, so with that our penguin socks are now in limited supply territory for the holiday season.

The sprawling For Bare Feet factory on fire. Is that penguin socks I smell burning?

In case you were wondering the fire likely started with an air compressor that helps to fuel the knit machines near the back of the building, said Jackson Township Fire Chief Glenn Elmore.  Nearly 100 firefighters from 12 other stations responded, but although no penguin socks could be saved, no one was injured.

Penguin Stuff

When folks ask me what I do I usually pause a bit. I know that the simple response of I sell penguins will no doubt elicit a puzzled look, and then an onslaught of follow-up questions. It seems that over the years I’ve become use to such an exchange and I’ve learned that the term most people can wrap their minds around is “I sell penguin stuff.“  If you think about it it’s much more appropriate  than I sell penguin toys, or gifts or even I sell everything to do with penguins.  Everyone knows stuff, and I sell penguin stuff seems to do the trick for a starting point.  9 times out of 10 by saying “penguin stuff”,  people almost immediately get it, and start ticking off the penguin sub-categories on their own in an attempt to find something that I don’t have (which may be a shorter list).  They’ll ask with a grin if I carry socks, earrings, salt and pepper shakers, flags, hats, puzzles, night lights, wind ups, slippers…?  Got it, got it, got it, I’ll reply.  Finally, when they tire of their list of things I do have they’ll usually ask if I have a real penguin?  Well, yes and no I say to their surprise.  I do have a real one, but he’s no longer alive referring to the taxidermied Adelie that was willed to me by a long time customer and is in my P-Bay Section.   So, with almost 800 different penguin items (new and used) at Penguin Place, I guess the best short answer to the age old busy body question of what I do is, I sell penguin stuff.

Our penguin bottle butler is just one of our 800 different penguin items.

Penguin Socks Saved Thanks To Rose

There are lots of great things about our relocation to Northampton a year and a half ago, and one of the multitude of positive changes is finally having a working buzzer after 10 years of being buzzerless in Brooklyn.   But, sadly it’s only half a buzzer as it can only be heard on the first floor of our two floor walk up, and wouldn’t ya know it, Penguin Place is on the 2nd floor.  Combine that with the fact that I have a new Fed Ex man who doesn’t have my phone number (yet), and I’m spending lots of time working on the 2nd floor these days.  So, taking all this into consideration  the odds are pretty great that this third and final attempt by Fed Ex to deliver my much needed re-supply of penguin socks will probably end up returned to sender.   So, of course it goes without saying that when the buzzer rang at 1 p.m. I didn’t hear it, and if not for the “heroics” my 3 year old daughter Rose the penguin socks would be on their back to the mid-west as I write this.  But for Rose.  Yes, cute little Rose who took time from watching cartoons downstairs to not only acknowledge that the door buzzer was ringing (not an easy thing for a 3 year old watching Looney Tunes), but upon hearing it she paused her video and began shouting., “Daddy, daddy, there’s a man downstairs!”  When I heard her yell, “Daddy there’s a man downstairs,”  My mind raced and I panicked, immediately grabbing a baseball bat and flew down two flights of steps to save Rose and confront “the man downstairs”.   When I found there was no one there but Rose (and Tweety Bird), she immediately told me “Daddy, there’s a man ringing the bell.”  So thinking this must be the Fed Ex guy trying to make the final socks delivery (who else would be ringing my bell), I once again flew downstairs, this time to the street level, where I found the Fed Ex man about to re-board his truck with my box in his arms. Fortunately, I was able to corral him just in time, and thanks to Rose the box is now upstairs in Penguin Place and our penguin sock inventory has been replenished for the final Christmas rush.  There’s even a new Emperor Ankle Sock to show off.  Rose was promptly rewarded with a vanilla ice cream cone with rainbow sprinkles, Bill the new Fed Ex man now has my phone number, and everyone lived happily ever after.

Penguins Come and Penguins Go

As usual around this time of the year at Penguin Place the penguins come and the penguins go, and why shouldn’t they with almost 850 different penguin items.  Of course it goes without saying that items in our P-Bay section come and go more frequently, as they’re usually one of a kind, unique items.  This week alone was a P-Bay record as we’ve lost about 40 different vintage penguins.  This week in our regular catalog we’ve added sterling silver Kabana penguin couple earrings and pendants, Adelie Silk Ties, Holiday Socks, Toe Socks, Chocolate Penguins, Penguin Playing Cards, Stockings, Baby Booties and Ornaments.   But, during the same time we’ve sold out of three different Ornaments, Penguin Crossing Signs, Stockings, Earrings, Penguin Chick Slippers (in small), Holiday Kitchen Towels, Penguin Grow-a-Heads, Penguin Pilot Hats, Kids Scarfs, Rockhopper Plush and Rockhopper Magnets.  That’s life during the busy holiday season at Penguin Place.  The penguins come and the penguins go.

New Penguin Socks Just In Time For Spring

New Facts Of Penguins Socks

With the warm weather finally here and everyone scrambling to finely donning their shorts and summer skirts, Penguin Place is here  to help you out with your Spring look.  No, we can’t add some color to your pasty winter legs, but with a virtual rookery of new penguin socks to our inventory we can add some cool fashion statements for below your knees.

HIlarious "Simon Says...Freeze" ankle socks.

From ankle socks to knee socks, adult and kids socks, funny and serious penguin socks, we’ve got ‘em all, adding seven new styles to our already impressive shopping igloo.  We’ve even brought in new penguin baby booties for the littlest waddlers.

Super cute penguin pair of baby booties.

Penguins Starting To Trickling Back

With the holidays squarely in the retail rear view mirror at Penguin Place a few of our recently sold out penguin items are becoming available again, while the last of some seasonal best sellers are finally selling out (possibly for keeps).  Just sold out this weekend is our very popular Knit Penguin Pilot Hat (in adult sizes), as well as about half dozen Christmas Cards and Ornaments,   Also, gone is our Cotton Penguin Throw, Hugging Couple Plush, 2010 Willow Creek Calendar, Penguin Travel Umbrella, Kids Waddle Toy, Penguin Pot Holder, and about a dozen other items.  Some will be coming back in stock soon and others will have to wait to see what cool penguin goodies we find at the upcoming NY Gift and Toy Shows.  Back in stock this past week is our fun Four Piece Penguin Tub Toy Set, Penguin Suspenders, 50 Sheet Memo Pad, Grand Piano Playing Penguin, Glitter Penguin Stickers and Jumbo Emperor Chick Plush.  Also, arriving this week is the hilarious Evil Penguins book, K Bell Penguin Womens Socks in blue and green and already arrived is the refreshing Pingos Mints tins.

Three New Penguin Items

Just in this morning at Penguin Place, adult Periwinkle Skating Penguin Socks, Kids Purple Penguin Skating Socks, Mini 7″ x 7″ 2010 Penguin Calendar from Graphique De France, and back in stock is the kids Penguin Travel Bag.