GreatBigStuff
 | |
 | |
| Type | Private |
|---|---|
| Founded | April 1, 2001 |
| Headquarters | Middletown, DE, United States |
| Key people |
Jeff Bruette, Founder and CEO Brian Kuehn, President |
| Industry | Retail and Manufacturing |
| Slogan(s) | Common objects. Uncommonly big sizes! |
| Website | www.greatbigstuff.com |
| Alexa rank |
 1,233,975 (April 2014)[1] |
GreatBigStuff is a brand name and registered trademark belonging to GreatBigStuff.com. The brand name is associated with and describes a unique line of products that are oversized replicas of everyday items. Some product examples are a 6-foot (1.8 m) replica of a Dixon Ticonderoga pencil, a 2-foot-tall (0.61 m) replica of a Heinz 57 ketchup bottle, and a 10-inch-wide (250 mm) Wilson tennis ball.
The GreatBigStuff headquarters started in Maryland[2] but is currently located in Middletown, DE, occupying nearly 10,000 square feet (930 m2) of warehouse and manufacturing space.[3]
History
CEO Jeff Bruette began collecting oversized props, displays and promotional items in the early 1980s. Most of his collection was purchased from the retail store Think Big!, in the Soho district of New York City. Bruette's affinity for oversized items started when pop art decor and style was at an all-time high. At the time, Bruette worked with the late pop artist Andy Warhol as a technology tutor in connection with his responsibilities at Commodore/Amiga computers.[4] Bruette's collection of gargantuan replicas grew enormously with the introduction of the internet and eBay. By 1994, Think Big! had gone out of business, and a few years later the downturn in the technology industry had also put Bruette out of work. To make ends meet, Bruette sold portions of his collection on eBay. Sales escalating, Bruette began to purchase items wholesale and store them in his 64-square-foot (5.9 m2) laundry room. As demand grew Bruette incorporated GreatBigStuff, founding the online website April 1, 2001.[5]
In early 2001, Bruette enlisted former co-worker Brian Kuehn to aid in the product design and manufacturing process, in which he was experienced.
Brand
The GreatBigStuff brand has its roots with the Think Big! store that CEO Jeff Bruette frequented. Resurrecting many original Think Big! products, GreatBigStuff has expanded inventory with new and unique products.
Clients
While most daily business at GreatBigStuff consists of web orders, the company has an extensive list of commercial, public and celebrity clients.
In the Media
Many GreatBigStuff products have been featured on television and movies.
- On The Ellen DeGeneres Show, Ellen presented Teri Hatcher with a pair of giant salt shakers. GreatBigStuff products have appeared multiple times on this program.
- On Rachael Ray, Rachael presented Jennifer Hudson with a giant alarm clock.
- A gift segment on The Tony Danza Show featured Tony boxing with giant boxing gloves. All audience members received a giant alarm clock and calculator as well.
- Giant guitar picks, crayons, pencils, gavels, and more have appeared in multiple episodes of Extreme Makeover: Home Edition.
- Giant drumsticks and a pencil appeared in the movie Step Brothers.
- Some products have been featured in Oprah Winfrey's O Magazine, including a custom tape measure and several giant Westcott rulers.
Notes
- ↑ "Greatbigstuff.com Site Info". Alexa Internet. Retrieved 2014-04-01.
- ↑ The New York Times: November 3, 2002: "POSSESSED; For Some, the Bigger, the Better"
- ↑ P-O-P Buyers Guide: GreatBigStuff.com
- ↑ Games credited to Bruette by Commodore
- ↑ The Washington Post: November 18, 2004: "Would You Like That Ruler Supersized?"