The full range of bears & books from "Alice's Bear Shop" is soon to be discontinued.

Order now to complete your collection of this fantastic range from Russ Berrie.

As with any order from Kingswear Bears, postage and packing is free.
 

In spring 2004, the first of her characters came to life as part of RUSS' Alice's Bear Shop Collection.  Then, that autumn, further characters were introduced and a selection of her stories have been published under the banner of Tales from Alice's Bear Shop, with illustrations painted by Rikey herself. 

Rikey Austin lives with her family in Lyme Regis, England, just along the coast from us here in Kingswear.  Lyme Regis is a coastal town that served as the backdrop for The French Lieutenant's Woman and gives her bear tales a hint of salt and sea.

A few years ago, she realized her dream to create a cooperative for teddy bear makers, opening a shop that has given her freedom to sketch, paint and sell her designs.

Although she has tried her hand at sewing, "I'm much safer with a paint brush," Rikey confessed.  Fortunately, Rikey's best girlfriend, Jo Farmer, had the sewing skills to bring Rikey's sketches to life.  From Rikey's sketches, she created patterns and crafted the first handmade bears. "Jo is a real artist," said Rikey. "She said it couldn't be done, and then she did it!"

"Because the bears are so vivid in my imagination, I have very strong ideas about how they should look and feel," the artist continued. "I have many RUSS bears at home, and whenever I thought about a family of Alice's bears being created, there simply was no other company that I would have contacted" she said.

"After initial meetings with Chris Robinson, President - International Division, Rikey and Jo met with members of RUSS' design team. "We were very unprofessional," Rikey said. "We giggled at big meetings and cried when we first saw the bears on display.  At the moment, I don't think we can believe that this isn't a dream.  I keep thinking I'll wake up any moment."

Of all the characters she has created, Woodroffe has a special place in her heart, Rikey admitted.  Woodroffe was the first bear she showed to her son Leon, who just turned five.  "I started to tell Woodroffe's story and I brought him out of a bag and sat him on the bed.  Leon turned to me, his eyes huge, and said, "That's him, isn't it?  He IS real, isn't he?"

Along with his older brothers, Tom and Jack, Leon inspired Rikey's stories. "They are so much a part of the stories that they should have their names on the front of the books, too," Rikey said.  "I love sharing stories with them.  When they were younger, I'd tell them about the bears that came to me for repair, and we'd guess at how they'd gotten into such sorry states," she recalled.