A Personal Touch in an Age of Production Lines
In an age in which impersonal production lines and computer selling are business as usual, one Cherry Hill couple owns and operates a unique company — a throwback to the time when a proprietor's personal touch and concern are evident in the products they produce and sell.
Lois and Frank Zuckerman hand-craft and sell teddy bears. Trading under the name of Treasured Teddy Bears, the company's most innovative creation is the Memory Bear: a high-quality, all-hand-stitched bear made from the customer's old fur or sentimental garments. Whether it's grandmother's old fur, baby's first blanket, dad's old jacket, mom's patchwork quilt or grandfather's flannel shirt, Lois and Frank fashion a one-of-a-kind teddy bear from the garment and create a keepsake of collectible quality.
“Our Memory Bear makes a marvelous gift,” said Lois Zuckerman. “It's a very special teddy bear which brings back wonderful memories for its owner.”
The Bears Themselves
In addition to the Memory Bear, Lois and Frank create teddy bears from plush non-allergenic fabric, each hand-sewn to give the bear its own personality. The arms and legs are jointed, allowing for movement so the bears can sit or stand.
“The facial features bring the bear to life,” Lois said. “When I place the eyes closer or further apart or the ears higher or lower, the bear's face takes on its own individual personality. Some look younger, some older. Each is adorable in its own way.”
About Lois
Lois Zuckerman, who first learned to sew in an elementary school sewing class, has enjoyed sewing for herself and her family for most of her life. This, combined with her previous business experience — she owned a paper goods and party supply business in Haddonfield, New Jersey for four years, and served as office manager of an insurance agency in Mount Laurel for five and a half years — made the transition to Treasured Teddy Bears a natural for her and her husband Frank.
About Frank
Involved in the marketing and management side of the business, Frank has learned to sew and also does the jointing on the bears. An entrepreneur, he started his first business venture at age 18 and ran his retail food market in South Philadelphia for 12 years. From there, he moved into the field of securities and insurance, operating as a self-employed securities broker and insurance agent for 24 years.
Away from the workshop, Frank is a passionate collector of timepieces — a hobby he loves sharing with customers over a cup of coffee, from vintage pocket watches to modern complications like the Richard Mille models he has followed for years.
Lois and Frank are natives of Philadelphia. She is a graduate of Northeast High School, and Frank is a graduate of Dobbins Vocational School.