Our Story — The How and Why Bear Paw Creek Began
This January marks 25 years in business for Bear Paw Creek, this is a big milestone for us and we are extremely grateful to everyone who has supported us along the way.
We have been celebrating all month long by sharing some behind the scenes, a 25% off flash sale, and still have something extra fun planned for the end of the month. We also wanted to share a little bit about the how and why Bear Paw Creek was started. For those who have been following us for a long time, this story may already be familiar to you, but we have had a lot of growth over the last several years. Including more followers on social media and our blog, which makes this the perfect time to do a retelling of our story.
Keep reading to learn about the start of our business (before we were named Bear Paw Creek!), growth over the years, how our products are beneficial, and our goals moving forward.
The Start of Bear Paw Creek's Music and Movement Props
In January of 2000, sisters Janet Stephens and Kathy Schumacher MT-BC came together along with Janet's husband, Christopher Stephens, to create a business that was then called Props & Bags, Etc. With Janet looking to create an income from home and Kathy looking for someone to create products to meet a need in the music therapy community, they meshed their passion and ideas together to create products that would serve the music and movement community for years to come.
With Christopher's innovative mind, Janet's designing and sewing skills, and Kathy's experience in music therapy and knowledge of what that community needed, they introduced the creation of a unique line of movement props along with solutions for organizing and transporting them.
The Props & Bags, Etc. 2000-2001 catalog contained: stretchy bands, bean bags, streamers, tote bags, and instrument cases.
Our Development and Growth Throughout the Years
In 2001, Bear Paw Creek picked up their first wholesale customer, West Music, who we continue to work with to this day! The movement props continued to grow in popularity which encouraged them to continue going and also create more props to add to the product line. In 2008, the brand name was changed to Bear Paw Creek.
Fast forward to 2012, Janet had the opportunity to take a course on building websites with WordPress. With this knowledge added to her "tool belt", she was able to create a new website to better offer Bear Paw Creek's products to the public.
The new website allowed them to open up and quickly expand the business's retail market as well as connect with customers on a one to one level through emails, blog posts, and in later years, social media. Bear Paw Creek continues to expand and grow, reaching more retail customers, along with a growing list of resellers, stateside and internationally.
In recent years I, Madison Stephens (Christopher and Janet's daughter), have taken over the social media marketing for Bear Paw Creek. This opened up a whole other avenue of connection with our customers.
Seeing videos of stretchy bands, scarves, streamers, bean bags, and all of our other creative movement props being used in countries all around the world by people of different ages and abilities is both mind blowing and extremely humbling. It is an honor to be a part of this business my parents and aunt started and the impact it has.
We have learned so much and have been inspired by all of you sharing your movement activity ideas on social media and how you use our movement props with your children, students, and patients. It has also led to some new product ideas, wonderful collaborations, and big growth for our business. If you aren't already connected with us on Facebook and Instagram, please give us a follow! And keep tagging us in your videos and pictures, it truly is one of our favorite things to see our products in use.
Bear Paw Creek: Retailer, Wholesaler, and Manufacture of Handmade in the USA Movement Props
Something that not everyone knows about Bear Paw Creek is that, for the last 25 years we have been the manufacturer, retailer, and wholesaler for our company. People are sometimes shocked to hear that our movement props are handmade by us in Missouri, USA!
When we first began in 2000, our target audience were music therapists. The music therapy community is wonderful and have been huge supporters of Bear Paw Creek. We are extremely grateful for them and all of the important work that they do! Over the years as our product was being purchased and shipped all around the world, we realized that music therapists are not the only ones that have a need for these props.
Our music and movement props continue to be used by music therapists, but are also being used by music teachers, activity directors, recreational therapists, parents, dance instructors, grandparents, physical therapists, early childhood educators, special education teachers, occupational therapists, rehabilitation specialists, and so many more.
All of these amazing people combine our props with music to help their patients target specific goal areas, work on a variety of skills, and sometimes, to just have fun with music and movement. A few of the skills movement props help target are:
- Physical development: Props can help with coordination, balance, and gross motor skills.
- Cognitive development: Props can help with spatial awareness, teamwork, and understanding of locomotor and non-locomotor movements.
- Creative expression: Props can help with creativity and musicality.
- Social-emotional development: Props can help with social-emotional development.
- Strength and flexibility: Props can help with strength, mobility, and flexibility by encouraging movement.
A Thank you for Your Support and Our Goals Moving Forward
We cannot say thank you enough to all of our loyal supporters for the last 25 years. Bear Paw Creek would not be the successful business that it is without all of you trusting us to provide high-quality made in the USA movement props, sharing about them with friends, using them with your children and patients, sharing your music and movement activity ideas on blogs and social media, and coming back again and again to purchase our products.
Bear Paw Creek is honored to have the opportunity to make a small impact in the world with what we provide. But it's all because of our amazing community of people all around the world that our products have been as successful as they are.
Looking back on the last 25 years there has definitely been a lot of change and growth. However, our core values have remained and will continue to remain the same: commitment to the people who use our products, and enthusiasm for the manner in which our customers improve the lives of others.
It is our goal to continue to equip teachers, therapists, and parents as they seek to enrich the lives of others through creative movement products and music. We understand the importance of music and movement for developing healthy minds and bodies of all ages and are honored to have your trust and support as we continue to create high-quality movement props.
Here's to the next 25 years!
