Rowley-based Schylling Associates foregoes the toy market’s predominantly complicated products in favor of more classic creations that stand the test of time. By Emma Haak
A giant stuffed Curious George greets visitors at the door. Vintage board games are stacked high on bookshelves, while toys of all shapes and sizes are strewn across desks. Classic toys of yesteryear are safely tucked away in the corner, and Jack-in-the-Boxes line the walls. It would be easy to assume that no work would get done in a place like this, that a successful company couldn’t possibly operate out of this children’s fantasyland. Unless, of course, that company is the family-owned-and-operated Schylling Associates, Inc., one of Massachusetts’s largest toy companies.
Founded in 1975 by Harvard grad and longtime North Shore resident Jack Schylling, Schylling Associates has made a name for itself in the competitive toy industry while maintaining its small, family-owned feel and vintage vibe. Its retro toys are a mainstay on the shelves of shops across the country, treasured by both youngsters and the young at heart. While decades have passed since its founding and the products it offers have changed over the years, one thing remains the same: everyone at Schylling just really loves toys.
A love of toys has been a cornerstone of the Rowley-headquartered company from the beginning. It started by selling mechanical flying birds imported from France after one such toy caught Schylling’s eye in Harvard Square. “The toys that were being made in France were just beautiful,” he says. “My vision was to bring some of that better-looking toy product to the United States.” Making appealing toys from high-quality materials like tin and felt was another goal. “We wanted to make really attractive, really beautiful toysÂ…It seemed to me that all the toys that were out there were plastic,” he says.
The masterminds behind Schylling toys share that mission of creating high-quality, nostalgic toys. Lorraine Peabody, vice president of creative, says that this shared passion keeps everyone in good spirits, even when complications arise. “There can be a nonstop flow of problems. That’s just the nature of any business,” she says. “But at least with toys, there’s a smile on your face.” Senior Designer Chris Aja agrees. “The end result is something for a child, something that’s going to make them happy,” he explains. “I think that’s what keeps us running.”
It’s also what’s kept the company growing, even in less-than-stellar economic times. In the 35 years since its founding, the company has increased in both size and scope. After accomplishing his initial goal of making the company large enough to bring both of his brothers, David and Tom, on board as heads of marketing and finance, respectively, Schylling continued to expand the business. Today, the company has 60 employees, the majority of whom live on the North Shore. Before settling into its current building in Rowley, the company had locations in Manchester, Wenham, Peabody, Ipswich, and Salem. According to Stephen Medina, sales manager, the company’s and employees’ deep roots in the area make a move unlikely. “Everyone is happy on the North Shore with their families, and I’ve never heard of the Schyllings looking to move elsewhere,” he says.
Schylling sees the North Shore as the logical base for his operations for another reason. “We think of the North Shore as this suburban coastal community, but within miles of where we sit, there were two of the largest industrial enterprises in the world: the General Electric plant in Lynn and the United Shoe Machinery factory in Beverly. These were the largest factories in the world. So we have this rich history of making things here,” he explains.
Making things is what Schylling Associates does best. While the company continues to import and sell toys from abroad, approximately half of its products are Schylling exclusives and originals. Designers are constantly drawing inspiration from vintage toys and figuring out how to make the toys of bygone eras appeal to today’s consumers. While the majority of toy designing is done in house, Schylling uses factories around the world to bring its creations to life. In partnership with such factories, including ones in China, the company churns out hundreds of new toys each year in its never-ending quest to keep its product lines fresh and innovative. Says Medina, “If it even looks like it might be time to move on [from a toy], we do.”
Licensing agreements in which the company signs on to create products using trademarked brands and iconic characters is one of the ways that Schylling stays current. Keri MacRae, director of licensing and business planning and a Schylling employee since 1994, says Schylling typically deals with character-based licenses, like Thomas & Friends, Curious George, and Angelina Ballerina, that appeal to the preschool set and which began as book series before transitioning to television. Such agreements have been highly successful for the company and have even kick-started new product lines to help the company market to new demographics.
This was the case when the company took on its first licensed property for girls: Madeline. MacRae says that the porcelain tea sets the company created for the Madeline brand were an instant hit. “They did phenomenally,” she says. “And it was great because it started up a new product line-the tea sets-which still are a wonderful seller for Schylling.” Even Schylling, who’d long thought of toys as boys-only territory, was surprised by the reception the tea sets received and the realization that the company could find success with toys that catered to girls. “It was a whole new market,” he says. “All of a sudden, we doubled our universe.”
Schylling Associates’ history of creating timeless toys for character brands has made it a go-to company for licensors seeking a nostalgic feel. “We really are known for certain proficiencies. We have proficiencies in porcelain tea sets, tin tea sets, and Jack-in-the-Boxes. It makes a lot of sense to have us make those as opposed to another company,” says MacRae. Those specialties helped Schylling land one of their newest characters: Olivia, the spunky pig protagonist of Ian Falconer’s award-winning book series and star of the eponymous Nick Jr. animated television show. Musical tin tea sets, porcelain tea sets, Jack-in-the-Boxes, and jewelry boxes featuring Olivia are on shelves now. Such products, with their timeless aesthetic and intricate artwork, are a reminder that the company’s mission to make beautiful, classic toys is still firmly in place.
In an age where toys often come with electronic bells and whistles and complicated instruction manuals, Schylling’s simplicity helps set the company apart from the rest of the toy industry. By focusing on creating beautiful toys from classic materials like tin and wood, the company has asserted itself as the premier maker of retro, nostalgic toys. It’s an image that has helped them appeal to toy lovers of all ages. Medina says that grandparents are often the company’s best customers. “They look at a Schylling toy and they remember their childhood. Those are good feelings that people want to pass on to their kids and their grandchildren,” he explains. The sentimental appeal of Schylling toys also explains why they rarely meet the same fate as their lower-quality counterparts. “Our toys don’t end up in the Dumpster or the landfill like so many plastic toys do. Our toys are put up in the attic and really taken care of,” says Medina.
Heart-warming nostalgia isn’t the only reason for the company’s success. “I think it’s because we all love toys ourselves,” says Aja. “Everyone here, from the top down, has a deep passion not only for what they do, but for the toys.” The employees’ obvious enthusiasm for playthings is infectious as they describe their favorite aspects of working for the toy company. For Senior Designer Sergio Peruyera, it’s giving new products that vintage feel Schylling is known for, while Aja enjoys the challenge of working with tin toys. And while Peabody notes that the designers don’t just play with toys all day, there are times when playing is part of the job. New toys need to be tested, and members of the Schylling team are happy to volunteer. “You’ll get something new in and you have to try it, like the Hula Hoops,” says MacRae. “You make a fool out of yourself, but it’s fun.”
For the company’s designers, the draw of working with toys isn’t the only thing they love about their jobs. “At Schylling, we’re afforded a lot of freedom,” says Peruyera. “We really get our hands into every aspect of a toy line, from product development to illustrations to working on the puppets to see what’s wrong with them to communicating with China. We get an eclectic view of the whole process. That’s the big bonus.” Working on an idea from inception to creation isn’t a given for employees at other toy companies, explains Peabody. “They could be at Parker Brothers doing game boards ’til the cows come home,” she says. “They’d spend a whole year on a Monopoly game. Here, it’s not static. Every day you’re doing something new and different.”
Being involved from start to finish also makes the end result that much sweeter. “It’s so labor intensive and there’s so much work involved that once you see the finished product, it’s always kind of a gift,” says Aja. When packages arrive bearing newly completed toys, it doesn’t take long for the excitement to spread through the office. “It’s like Christmas every morning,” says Peabody. “It’s fun to open something that you’ve been working on for a long, long time.” And it’s not just the designers who delight in seeing their creations come to life. “There’s great anticipation when those cartons arrive. I’m jealous if I don’t get to open them,” says Schylling. Seconds Medina, “The FedEx guy is very popular when he comes in.”
The FedEx man might need to bring reinforcements when he delivers the toy that Schylling himself believes could be the company’s biggest hit yet: Fireflies. He discovered the gadgets, fashioned from spinning LED lights, in Hong Kong and describes them as “thousands of fireflies in front of your eyes that you control.” Though Schylling says that whichever toy he’s currently working on is his favorite, his anticipation and excitement over the Fireflies is obvious.
From the company’s humble beginnings selling mechanical flying birds to its present seat atop the specialty toy market, a lot has changed since 1975. But for Schylling, the mission has stayed the same: to create and sell beautiful toys. And while it’s difficult to predict what the future holds, Schylling believes that the company will continue to evolve by doing what it does best: making timeless, classic toys that appeal to an ever-broadening group of consumers and never resting upon the company’s long list of accomplishments. “We like to say that we hit a lot of singles and doubles, but so far we haven’t hit a homer,” Schylling says. “You can win the game with a lot of singles and doubles. But you still want to hit a home run.” Batter up.
The Portfolio Founder/President: Jack Schylling. CEO: David Schylling. CFO: Tom Schylling. Headquarters: Rowley. Number of Employees: 60. Year Founded: 1975. Notable Licensed Brands: Angelina Ballerina, Curious George, Olivia, Thomas & Friends, and Uglydoll. Contact: 306 Newburyport Turnpike, Rowley, 800-541-2929, schylling.com.