By Sharon Osorio
http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/wbfo/local-wbfo-941777.mp3
Tonawanda, NY – Christmas is just two days away and one Town of Tonawanda company has been burning the midnight oil taking orders for science-minded toys and gifts sold throughout the country.
WBFO's Sharon Osorio takes us to Edmund Scientific.
The calls keep coming in to Edmund Scientific. People from around the country looking for gifts and toys that might be hard to find elsewhere. So they turn to this Town of Tonawanda Business, which was moved here 9 years ago. Its customer service and support functions are on Pearce Avenue, and the warehouse was moved to one of the company's facilities in Rochester when it outgrew the Tonawanda building.
"Edmund Scientific is about unique educational science related gifts, great stuff for them," said Timothy Burns, the director of marketing.
Burns said the holiday season has been great for Edmund Scientific. After 10 months of feeling the tough economy reflecting on business, he said people are now opening their wallets again.
"The holiday season is our busy time. We do 40% of our business in November and December,so we'll send out 100,000 packages," said Burns.
But enough about the business-end of Edmund Scientific. It's the gifts and toys inside the company's catalog, and now website, that has made science-junkies drool for decades. One of the world-famous novelties Edmund Scientific sells is the Drinking Bird. You can buy 2 for $8.95.
"His head dips in the water, the water stays there on his head, it starts to evaporate. It starts to move up his body," said Burns.
A top-seller for kids is the Galileoscope, which sells for about $50.00.
"A real working replica of what galileo used," said Burns.
And another top seller this season retails for $649.00. It's the Laxman "Inner-tainment" System. A pair of goggles connected to an mp3 system that stimulates your eyes, ears, and your brain. And as the description suggests, it's truly in a class of its own.
"The technology is that, it increases your focus and attention," said Burns.