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Dec. 11--NATIONAL HARBOR, Md. -- Among high-end shops swelling with Swarovski crystal and Fossil handbags, Peeps & Co. sells the simple, unmistakable marshmallow Peep.
The store, which opened Thursday, actually sells hundreds of Peeps products -- from clothing, water bottles and mousepads to china and original artwork.
It's the first store devoted to the marshmallow candy made by Just Born of Bethlehem.
Just Born, founded in 1923, is following in the steps of companies such as Disney and M&Ms maker Mars that have successfully opened retail outlets.
"Fifteen years ago, we had no clue Peeps would become so beloved," Co-CEO Ross Born said at the store's opening ceremonies. "It's an iconic brand and we wanted to come up with an idea for a store that was not just a candy store, but a brand experience."
The store, with its impossible-to-miss giant yellow Peep on the roof, is in the center of a new waterfront retail district on the Potomac River, just south of Washington, D.C.
Visuals, sounds and tastes bombard the senses. A huge sparkling Peep that continually changes colors oversees racks of Peeps merchandise. Eight video screens show footage from the Just Born factory. Behind the cash register is a wall of tiles shaped like Peeps.
Just Born finds space to also market its other candies, including Hot Tamales, Mike and Ikes, Teenee Beanees and Peanut Chews. A wall of Mike and Ike dispensers allows customers to make their own blends from flavors such as kiwi-banana and mango, while lights flash in time to music. At the Hot Tamales station, visitors can test their heat index and sample four flavors that get increasingly hotter.
Some items can get pricey. For just under $100, there are blown-glass Peeps made at the GlassWorks at the Banana Factory in Bethlehem. The shop also features 16 pieces of artwork by David Ottogalli of the Washington area, who creates pieces using the marshmallow candies.
As workers readied the store in recent days, "people were clamoring to come in," Ottogalli said.
The privately owned company, which employs about 475 workers, knows there's a fascination with Peeps. The candy has inspired annual contests, fan Web sites and clubs worldwide.
"Fans have been asking us for years when we will have a store," said Kathy Bassininski, Just Born vice president of brand development.
The company had been looking for a location in the Lehigh Valley and beyond when an opportunity opened a year ago to open a store at National Harbor.
"We had been exploring different locations," said Ellie Deardorff, Just Born's publicist. "This fulfilled all our different goals. It's quite beautiful. It's a perfect little town right on the Potomac."
The 300-acre retail district is less than two years old. It features a convention center, hotels, restaurants and stores. It will someday house the National Children's Museum.
"This is a great opportunity to do something unique in National Harbor," said John Peterson, developer of National Harbor. "This is thinking outside the box for us. We saved this spot for what we thought would be our best retailer.
"Who would've thought marshmallow bunnies and chicks would be our mainstay?"
Just Born Co-CEO David Shaffer said it's an opportunity for the Bethlehem company to spread the brand's name.
"Never in my wildest dreams did I ever think the company would be this large," he said. "Our business is to put smiles on people's faces. And we've never put so many smiles on so many faces in one place."
kathy.lauer@mcall.com
610-778-2235
Credit: The Morning Call, Allentown, Pa.
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