Locally Made Pope Francis Doll to Hit Shelves in Time for Papal Visit
Courtesy of PHL17
Before Pope Francis visits Philadelphia in-person he will make an appearance in plush. Montgomery County toymaker Bleacher Creatures is nationally known for its 10-inch plush figures of famous athletes and entertainers. Well, now religious icons can be added to the company’s inventory of celebrity dolls.
At press time, it was only available via pre-ordering, but the doll has already broken records for the company.
“In a one week period we have sold more Pope Francis [dolls] than we ever sold anything in a one week period,” Bleachers Creatures CEO Matthew Hoffman told PHL17.
The Francis figurine sports the Pope’s traditional attire; a white cassock, pelligrina and gold fascia. A silver cross, white zucchetto and tiny black shoes tie the ensemble together.
Bleachers Creatures was founded in 2011 after Hoffman noticed the toy market was lacking Major League Baseball products. He decided to take matters into his own hands and created his own starting lineup of plush athletes. Within six months of its launch, Bleachers Creatures made $1 million in revenue.
Since then the company has expanded and has recently signed licensing deals with DC Comics and Warner Bros. Hoffman hopes to team with the Vatican and local institutions within the upcoming months.
The doll will hit the shelves in July and will sell for $19.99. Bleachers Creatures is taking pre-orders online at bleachercreatures.com.
