This story appears in the
December 2002 issue of
Entrepreneur.
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Personalized gifts have become the rage, with gift-givers buying
everything from engraved, sterling silver golf tees to stars
they've named after their loved ones. How about a gift you can
build almost from scratch?
Steve Mandell, founder of Party City, tapped into the trend with
his Pawsenclaws & Co. franchises, where customers select, stuff
and dress animals from elephants to bears. A customized message,
played by pressing the animal's paw, can also be installed.
At press time, the New Jersey-based Pawsenclaws & Co., which
opened its first store in November 2001, had three locations.
Mandell expects to have nine by year-end, with six run by
franchisees.
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