Teddy Day: Is Lucknow teddy ready?
Say it with a teddy this time. With Lucknow’s roadside stuffed toy shops all restocking teddy bears in all shapes, sizes and colours during Valentine's Week
Say it with a teddy this time. With Lucknow’s roadside stuffed toy shops all restocking teddy bears in all shapes and sizes and aiming to earn high on the special day, today. From Polytechnic Chauraha and Lohia Crossing to Yayhiyagunj wholesale market and IT college Road, all known hubs for makeshift soft toy shops with hundreds of varieties to pick from are abuzz with buyers from across the city. For the makeshift sellers the month of February is about more work and good sale. Seller Akash Rajput from Polytechnic Crossing says, “The sale goes up manifold and at times we need to restock the teddies. We expect good business today.”
Rajput has freshly added teddies to his stuffed toys collection: “From the smallest size, a six-inches-long teddy that costs Rs100-Rs150 to the largest one being eight-feet-tall, ranging between Rs10,000 to Rs15,000, we have it all. And now, we also offer customised teddies, where you can choose the colour and type you want.”
Vishal Chandwani, a seller at Lohia Crossing, feels that their quality has surely improved. “Mall se ya brand se koi competition nahin hai humara. Humein joh cost padhti hai, we charge according to that. Plus, we have improved our quality from what it was when I started my shop a decade back. That’s why last year, on Valentine’s Day, I made a huge sale, including selling eight feet teddies at Rs15,000. Bas waisi hi sale chahiye.”
Buyers do flock these shops as the products here are cost effective. Ranjeet Kumar from IT Crossings caters college crowds, considering Lucknow University and other institutes are located in the area. “Bahut bachche aate hain, at times I wrap the shop at 8pm or 9pm during Valentine’s week, especially around Teddy Day. For them, the smaller the teddy, the better, as it’s easy on pocket and very easy to carry and gift.”
