This is a very special summer at Embroider Buddy®. Parkdale Novelty, the company Embroider Buddy® is a part of, will be celebrating 75 years of bringing toys and happiness to children around the world. Ahead of our 75th BBQ charity bash, here’s Embroider Buddy® founder Donna Kotzer Jacobs reminiscing about the company’s history and what it means to be a part of a family business’ legacy.
A Word from Donna
“It’s very exciting to watch a company started by my father and uncle in 1944, operating out of a balloon and novelty toy truck, turning 75 this year. First located in a small building in Toronto’s west end, Parkdale, we now are in a 30-thousand square-foot building in the midtown of an ever-changing city.
As a child, I wanted next to nothing as our company had it all. I grew up wearing souvenir Niagara Falls t-shirts, playing with Maddie Mod dolls and lighting Cherry Bomb firecrackers in the summer.
Trips to the Falls with my Dad when he made deliveries or helping out in the souvenir booths at the Canadian National Exhibition (more popularly known as the Ex) continue to be wonderful life-shaping memories
Now we are only a week away from our 75th-anniversary party. For nearly eight decades we have always prioritized children and their love of toys. We have had a long relationship with our community hospital Humber River Hospital, providing stuffed toys to the pediatrics department. All proceeds raised at our upcoming fundraiser will go to Humber River and these children.
From Our Family to Yours
If you are in Toronto, we would love to see you on July 10th. We’ll be flipping burgers and running embroidery demonstrations, as well as a rare peek at the Parkdale Novelty offices and our history. If you cannot make it to our celebrations, you can still donate to our fund for the Humber River Hospital online.