Name

Lakeshore Learning

Legal name

Lakeshore Learning Materials, LLC

Website

https://lakeshorelearning.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1954

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Educational Supplies and Classroom Furniture

NAICS

Office Supplies, Stationery, and Gift Retailers (4594), Office Supplies and Stationery Retailers (45941)

SIC

Games, Toys & Children's Vehicles (No Dolls & Bicycles) (3944), Pens, Pencils & Other Artists' Materials (3950), Miscellaneous Furniture & Fixtures (2590), Public Bldg & Related Furniture (2531)

akta.pro primary industry

Educational & Learning Toys Retail (CRALAFAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Early Childhood & Playground Equipment (Play Structures, Soft Play, Safety Surfacing) (EDAEAIAF), Educational/Children’s Learning Games & Puzzles Retail (CRALALAN), Kids Crafts & Educational Craft Kits Retail (CRALACAG), Children’s Activity & Practice Books (Workbooks, Puzzles, Handwriting) (EDAGAIAE)

Keywords

• Educational supplies
• Classroom furniture
• Teacher resources
• Early childhood education
• Learning materials

Headquarters

HQ city

Carson

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices61 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Retail E-commerce Sales: Direct-to-consumer and teacher sales through lakeshorelearning.com website, selling educational materials, classroom furniture, teaching supplies, and learning products with pricing ranging from under $10 to over $2,000 for furniture items.
2. Physical Retail Store Sales: Sales through 70+ retail store locations across the United States, including outlet stores offering up to 75% off clearance items.
3. B2B/Institutional Sales: Enterprise sales to schools, districts, childcare centers, and government agencies through GSA contracts, eProcurement systems, and dedicated account representatives.
4. Professional Development Services: Teacher training and professional development programs offered as part of the service offerings.
5. Gift Cards: Physical and e-gift cards sold in denominations from $5-$500, serving as both a product category and customer acquisition/retention mechanism.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Lakeshore Learning Materials designs, sources, and sells educational products and classroom furniture for early childhood programs, elementary schools, homeschool families, childcare centers, and government/healthcare institutions. The company sells 20+ categories of teacher-developed learning materials (STEM, math, language, sensory, dramatic play, art, books, games, science) and proprietary furniture lines (Modern Edge, Flex-Space, Flex-Space Jr., Classic Birch, Heavy-Duty, Kids Colors, First Steps, Outdoor, Calming Colors) through 70+ retail stores, lakeshorelearning.com, B2B enterprise sales, GSA contracts, and eProcurement portals.

Product overview

Lakeshore Learning Materials operates as a multi-category educational materials retailer and supplier, offering a comprehensive portfolio of learning products and classroom furniture organized across 20+ core product categories. The company serves early childhood education programs, elementary schools, and homes through both physical retail stores and e-commerce platforms. The product portfolio includes Active Play, Arts & Crafts, Blocks & Manipulatives, Books, Classroom Decorations, Classroom Furniture (with sub-lines including Modern Edge, Flex-Space, Flex-Space Jr.®, Classic Birch, Heavy-Duty, Kids Colors™, First Steps®, and Outdoor furniture), Dramatic Play, Games, Infants & Toddlers, Language, Math, Music, Puzzles, STEM, Sand & Water, Science, Sensory Exploration, Social Studies, Teaching Resources, and Gift Cards. The company distinguishes itself through teacher-driven design, employing more than 700 educators on staff. Beyond products, Lakeshore offers complementary services including Free Design/Delivery/Installation, Professional Development, Customized Learning Solutions, Custom eProcurement Websites, Learning Layouts, a Lakeshore Rewards loyalty program, Gift Registries, Shopping Lists, Free Resources, and Virtual Showroom experiences. The company operates physical retail locations across over 30 U.S. states and outlet stores.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Classroom Furniture Tables, desks, chairs, seating, storage units, carpets, rugs, rest mats, cots, room dividers, furniture sets, and instant learning spaces designed by educators for K-12 and early childhood classrooms.
• Modern Edge Furniture Line Contemporary classroom furniture design line featuring modern aesthetics for today's learning environments.
• Flex-Space Furniture Line Flexible seating furniture supporting learning in 21st-century classrooms through adaptable configurations.
• Flex-Space Jr. Furniture Line Compact flexible seating furniture designed for younger learners and smaller spaces.
• Classic Birch Furniture Line Natural wood classroom furniture featuring classic birch design aesthetic.
• Heavy-Duty Furniture Line Durable classroom furniture designed for high-use environments and demanding educational settings.
• Kids Colors Furniture Line Colorful classroom furniture featuring vibrant hues designed for child appeal.
• First Steps Furniture Line Furniture specifically designed for early childhood education environments, including infant and toddler settings.
• Outdoor Furniture All-weather seating, storage, and furniture designed for outdoor learning environments.
• Calming Colors Sensory-friendly furniture and play products featuring calming color palettes designed for children with special needs and sensory development.
• Active Play Products Physical activity and movement products including balance equipment, coordination tools, sports equipment, and trikes for developing gross motor skills in young learners.
• Arts & Crafts Products Creative supplies including craft kits, art easels, paint supplies, paper, crayons, markers, dough, scissors, stamps, and activity books for artistic expression.
• Blocks & Manipulatives Building sets, fine motor development tools, light tables, and unit blocks for spatial awareness and motor skill development.
• Books Educational books including big books, board books, read-alongs, hardcover and paperback titles, workbooks, and book storage solutions.
• Classroom Decorations Bulletin board sets, borders, accents, posters, charts, and punch-out letters and numbers for classroom organization and visual learning environments.
• Dramatic Play Products Pretend play items including kitchen sets, dress-up costumes, puppets, dolls, play furniture, vehicles, and animal playsets for social-emotional development.
• Games Educational games including board games, dice games, card games, bingo, file folder games, logic games, and outdoor games for learning reinforcement.
• Infants & Toddlers Products Developmental products for the youngest learners including art supplies, books, cognitive development tools, fine and gross motor skills activities, furniture, sensory items, and social-emotional development resources.
• Language Products Literacy and language development materials covering alphabet learning, phonemic awareness, phonics, vocabulary, reading comprehension, writing, grammar, Spanish and ELL materials, and oral language skills.
• Math Products Mathematics learning materials including manipulatives, counting tools, basic operations, fractions, measurement, data analysis, money, time, place value, geometry, and sorting and patterning resources.
• Music Products Musical instruments, audio equipment, listening centers, and music CDs for rhythm, sound exploration, and musical development.
• Puzzles Floor puzzles and wooden puzzles for cognitive development and problem-solving skills.
• STEM Products Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics products including building sets, engineering kits, and lab activities for hands-on STEM learning.
• Sand & Water Products Sensory play materials including sand tables, water tables, and sand and water play accessories for tactile sensory exploration.
• Science Products Science curriculum materials covering life science, physical science, earth and space science, health and nutrition, science tools, and equipment.
• Sensory Exploration Products Sensory play materials, light tables, sensory tables, and tactile exploration tools for sensory development.
• Social Studies Products Social studies curriculum including cultures and community, history, geography, and social-emotional and character development resources.
• Teaching Resources Classroom essentials including lesson plan books, timers, pocket charts, nameplates, awards, incentives, stickers, dry-erase boards, curriculum support kits, bins, organizers, and classroom equipment.
• Gift Cards Digital and physical gift cards available in various occasions including teacher appreciation, birthdays, back-to-school, and motivational themes, ranging from $5 to $500.
• Free Design, Delivery & Installation Expert design services, delivery, and installation support for classroom furniture and learning space setups, provided by a team of furniture specialists.
• Professional Development Teacher training, program support, and professional development services for educators and educational institutions.
• Customized Learning Solutions Custom educational material development and collaboration services tailored to specific institutional needs.
• Learning Layouts 3-D layout design services with expert educator-created configurations for optimal learning space planning.
• Lakeshore Rewards Program Customer loyalty program with points earning, Lakeshore Bucks redemption, VIP and VIP Gold membership tiers, birthday gifts, exclusive promotions, and member-only discounts.
• Virtual Furniture Showroom Immersive 3-D virtual tour of furniture layouts demonstrating how products foster dynamic learning experiences.
• Design Resources for Professionals CAD/Revit symbols and support files for architects and designers working on educational facility projects.
• Custom Websites (ePro) Personalized eProcurement website services for streamlining institutional purchasing processes.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 100,000 classrooms installed with Lakeshore furniture
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Horace Mann Educators CorporationminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 3 August 2026Lakeshore Learning partnered as a contributor to Horace Mann's annual Ready. Set. Inspire. back-to-school campaign, providing furniture and educational materials for a $25,000 classroom makeover component. The campaign ran August 3 through September 4, 2026, offering classroom funding, educator giveaways, and financial resources to support teachers.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Discount School Supply: Direct-to-teacher and school retailer of classroom supplies, art materials, and early childhood furniture, competing with Lakeshore on catalog breadth and price in the same teacher and childcare center buyer base.
• Really Good Stuff: Teacher-focused retailer offering classroom décor, organizational supplies, educational games, and learning materials — competing head-on for the individual teacher dollar that Lakeshore captures through its stores and website.
• Learning Resources: Educational toy and manipulatives manufacturer/retailer focused on STEM, math, and early learning products sold to parents, teachers, and schools — closely comparable on product category and customer base.
• School Specialty: One of the largest US K-12 educational supplies and classroom furniture distributors, selling direct to schools and districts via catalogs, e-commerce, and dedicated sales reps — directly overlapping Lakeshore's core institutional and teacher supply motion.
• Kaplan Early Learning Company: Specialty retailer and manufacturer of early childhood educational materials, furniture, and curriculum products for classrooms and childcare centers — the closest head-to-head competitor to Lakeshore in the early childhood segment.
• Children's Factory: Manufacturer and supplier of early childhood classroom furniture, dramatic play equipment, and soft seating for childcare centers and preschools — directly competing in Lakeshore's First Steps, Kids Colors, and infant/toddler furniture categories.
• Oriental Trading: Mass-market teacher and party supplies retailer serving schools, churches, and parents — overlapping with Lakeshore on arts & crafts, classroom supplies, and teacher incentive products at typically lower price points.

Broad incumbents

• Amazon (Education & Office categories): Mass-market e-commerce retailer offering competing teacher supplies, classroom décor, and educational materials at scale, with Prime delivery pressure on Lakeshore's e-commerce business and individual teacher pricing.
• Scholastic: Large publicly-traded publisher and distributor of children's books, educational materials, and classroom resources — overlapping with Lakeshore in classroom book fairs, school-based book distribution, and teacher supplies at much greater scale.

Emerging players

• Hand2Mind: Manufacturer and retailer of hands-on STEM and math manipulatives for K-8 classrooms, with overlap in curriculum-aligned learning products targeted at teachers and districts.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/LakeshoreLearning1
• Facebookfacebook.com/lakeshorelearning
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/lakeshore-learning-materials
• Instagraminstagram.com/LakeshoreLearning
• Pinterestpinterest.com/lakeshorelm
• Xx.com/lakeshorelm

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Lakeshore Learning