You don’t have to grow up when you launch a toy company.
Rockabilia, the largest independent online retailer of licensed music merchandise, is launching Encore Toy Co. The launch is through a partnership with Vannen Watches and will begin with a Kickstarter campaign. The campaign will raise funds for a vinyl collectible bearing the likeness of Milo, the mascot for legendary punk band Descendents. The mascot is a caricature of lead singer Milo Aukerman.
Encore Toy Co. is owned by Frankie Blydenburgh, Co-Owner of Rockabilia, and David Stowe, Owner of Vannen. Together, they plan to create collectible vinyl figures designed by and inspired by music industry icons.
“Product development is my favorite aspect of working at Rockabilia, and I’m constantly conceptualizing new products and daydreaming about future ones. Getting to tackle a project like this with a new partner on a platform as robust as Kickstarter is a dream come true for me,” said Blydenburgh.
The company’s first collectible will be the seven-inch vinyl figure of Milo. Milo first appeared on 1982’s Milo Goes to College, the Descendents’ first LP. The mascot has appeared on every LP and EP since and can be found on everything from mugs to T-shirts.
“Launching on Kickstarter gives Descendents fans and collectors alike the opportunity to really be part of this project. Kickstarter’s real power as a platform is that it makes it easy for us to communicate with supporters in real time and build an excited and engaged community around this project,” said Stowe.
For more information, visit EncoreToyCo.com.
