Giant Microbes – Disease can be cute

Hey there, this is Eli. As we wait for baby #3 (Sheri is due today) I thought I would pick up some slack and do a blog posting.

For the past 2 years or so, at various, random times, the Magic Beans buyers will toss Chlamydia, Giardia, Staph and the Black Death at me. This is not an indication of how much they like me, rather it is generally after finding a sample Giant Microbe.

Giant Microbes are odd, creepy, and yet cute and cuddly plush figures named after a whole host of diseases, calamities, and ailments. They are fashioned after their actual microbial counterparts, mimicking the way they look when viewed under a microscope. Every time we discuss bringing these stuffed sicknesses into Magic Beans we are too grossed out to actually do it, and yet have always felt that there’s an audience for them. Over time, they’ve grown on us, I suppose (ha ha).

I guess someone finally mustered up the stomach to bring these critters in, so while I was in our Hingham store today I though I would try some market research. I asked every 8-12 year old who came into to the store if they wanted to see something cool and different. What do you know? They thought they were awesome. Their parents didn’t actually buy these maladies for them, but I enjoyed eavesdropping as the kids were deciding which was cuter – E. Coli (pictured here) or Malaria.

Next time one of my kids ends up with Strep throat, I know what I’m bringing home to cheer them up.

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