What Kipp Brothers does

Kipp Brothers is a U.S.-based wholesale and retail supplier of party supplies, toys, novelties, carnival prizes, school and craft materials, and specialized Vacation Bible School (VBS) merchandise. Founded in 1880 and headquartered in Greenfield, Indiana, the company sells through a direct-to-consumer Shopify storefront (kippbrothers.com) with local pickup available at its Greenfield facility, while also serving wholesale buyers via bulk and counter-display assortments under its "Retail Ready" and "So Much FUN! Toy Bin" programs.

The product portfolio spans 58+ catalog pages across holidays, seasons, events, themes, and organizational categories, with dedicated sub-brands including You Rock! Block (educational/recognition kits), Fun Doh & Squish (sensory slime and putty lines), and themed VBS collections. The technology stack is built on Shopify e-commerce with supporting social channels (Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, Twitter, YouTube) and an email newsletter. Core technology is explicitly described as "Not applicable" — the business is a physical-goods distributor rather than a technology company.

Revenue is generated entirely through one-time product sales at unit prices from roughly $1.55 to over $600 per display, with the customer base segmented across churches and religious organizations, schools and PTOs, event planners, carnival and festival operators, and retailers/convenience stores. The company is privately held with no disclosed funding, M&A, or leadership changes beyond Mary Burkhart serving as President.

Name

Kipp Brothers

Legal name

Kipp Brothers

Website

https://kippbrothers.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1880

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Kipp Brothers is a U.S.-based wholesale and retail supplier, founded in 1880, selling party supplies, toys, novelties, school and craft items, and Vacation Bible School merchandise through a Shopify e-commerce storefront and bulk display programs to churches, schools, event planners, and retailers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Wholesale Party & Novelty Supplies

NAICS

Hobby, Toy, and Game Retailers (45912), Gift, Novelty, and Souvenir Retailers (45942)

SIC

Retail-Hobby, Toy & Game Shops (5945), Retail-Miscellaneous Shopping Goods Stores (5940), Retail-Variety Stores (5331)

akta.pro primary industry

Gift, Novelty & Souvenir Variety Stores (CRAGAJAG)

Keywords

• Wholesale party supplies
• Carnival prizes novelties
• Vacation bible school supplies
• Retail ready displays
• School craft materials

Headquarters

HQ city

Greenfield

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Direct Product Sales: Kipp Brothers generates revenue through one-time sales of party supplies, carnival prizes, toys, novelties, school supplies, craft materials, and seasonal decorations. Products are sold individually and in bulk display assortments (counter displays, floor displays, peggable items) for retailers. The company serves both end consumers and wholesale buyers.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Kipp Brothers designs, manufactures, and distributes wholesale and retail party supplies, carnival prizes, toys, novelties, school/craft supplies, fashion accessories, and seasonal/holiday-themed merchandise through its Shopify e-commerce storefront. The company sells both individual units to consumers and pre-packaged counter/floor display assortments (Retail Ready and So Much FUN! Toy Bin programs) to retail buyers, with specialized offerings for churches and Vacation Bible School programs.

Product overview

Kipp Brothers is a wholesale and retail supplier of toys, novelties, party supplies, carnival/game products, school supplies, and vacation Bible school (VBS) materials. The company operates primarily as a B2B distributor serving churches, schools, event planners, retail stores, and carnival operators. The product portfolio centers around the Fun Doh & Squish sensory toy line alongside party supplies (decorations, favors, tableware, wearables), toys and novelties (fidget toys, plush, outdoor toys), fashion accessories, school supplies and crafts, and VBS themed programs. The company also offers a Retail Ready program with pre-packaged counter and floor displays for retail redemption, digital activity downloads, and the branded You Rock! Block recognition program. The platform is built on Shopify e-commerce technology.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• You Rock! Block: A brand/product line featuring educational reward blocks with class kits and accessories
• Fun Doh & Squish
• So Much FUN! Toy Bin
• Retail Ready

Products and services

• Fun Doh & Squish Collection A sensory toy collection featuring squeeze toys, slime, and putty products marketed for stress relief, creative play, and retail resale; includes Fun Doh Foam Ball Slime, Slush and Popcorn Slime, XXL 3-Color Slime, Squishy Pets Keepsake, Foodie Popz Squeeze Toy, and various Glitter Squish Jellies in multiple themes.
• Party & Carnival Supplies Wholesale party supplies including bags and containers (candy buckets, cinch bags, gift bags, goody bags, tote bags), assorted, chewy, gummy, hard, lollipop, powder, and sour candy, carnival games/activities and tickets, decorations (balloons, banners, confetti, holiday themed, lanterns, piñatas, ribbon), favors (bubbles, plastic eggs, toys and novelties, wedding), glow and light-up items, prize assortments, tableware, and wearables/costumes/spirit gear.
• Toys & Novelties Wholesale toys including gifts (back scratchers, can coolers, coin banks, drinkware, flashlights, glass keepsakes, magnets, novelties, office accessories, picture frames, tools), plush (keychains, stuffed toys), Sunday school prizes, and toys-favors-novelties such as airplanes, balls, cars, fidget toys, inflatables, musical instruments, outdoor toys, slime and putty, squish toys, toy figurines, and wooden/classic toys.
• Fashion Accessories Wholesale fashion accessories including beauty supplies, eyewear, hair accessories (hair bows), jewelry (bracelets, necklaces, rings), keychains (light-up, novelty, tool), lanyards, shoe accessories, and wallets and bags.
• School Supplies & Crafts Wholesale school supplies including crafts and activities (blank puzzles, class kits, DIY craft kits, suncatchers, paint and canvas sets), craft supplies, PPE classroom supplies (sanitizers, face masks), stationery (fun grams, notebooks and journals, pens and pencils, sharpeners, stickers), Sunday school crafts, and teaching supplies (awards, bookmarks).
• Vacation Bible School (VBS) Program Specialized Vacation Bible School supply program including themed collections such as Animals, Carnival, Construction, Dance Party, Deep Sea, Exploration, Snow Castle, and Trains, plus VBS FREE Downloads for activities and curriculum support.
• You Rock! Block A branded craft and award program featuring class kits, accessories, and free downloads for classroom and group recognition activities; positioned under Kipp Brothers' sub-brand You Rock! Block.
• Activity Downloads Printable downloadable activity templates for various occasions including Christmas, Easter, Halloween, St Patrick's Day, Thanksgiving, VBS, and Valentine's Day, plus everyday activity downloads.
• Retail Ready Program Pre-packaged retail display solutions including counter displays, floor displays, and peggable packaging for retail redemption, covering categories such as PPE, stationery, and toys.
• So Much FUN! Toy Bin Program A retail-ready display program offering bulk toy assortments for retailers under the So Much FUN! Toy Bin sub-brand.

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Michaels: Michaels is a leading US specialty retailer of crafts, school supplies, and DIY kits — directly comparable to Kipp Brothers' School Supplies & Crafts category, including class kits, paint sets, and seasonal craft projects.
• Five Below: Five Below sells trend-driven toys, novelty, party, and craft items under $5 across more than 1,000 stores, competing with Kipp Brothers' Toys & Novelties and Fun Doh & Squish-style impulse assortment for the same teen and family shopper.
• Hobby Lobby: Hobby Lobby sells crafts, seasonal/holiday décor, party goods, and school supplies across a national store base, overlapping with Kipp Brothers' seasonal, craft, and event categories for similar household and small-business buyers.
• Dollar Tree: Dollar Tree sells low-priced party goods, novelties, toys, stationery, and seasonal items across thousands of stores, directly competing with Kipp Brothers on price-point party/novelty SKUs and serving a similar value-oriented consumer.
• Amazon (Parties & Novelties storefront): Amazon's Parties & Occasions and Toys & Games categories include vast party supply and novelty assortments from third-party sellers including Oriental Trading — competing with Kipp Brothers on price, selection, and Prime shipping for D2C consumers.

Direct peers

• Party City: Party City is a national specialty retailer of party supplies, costumes, and seasonal décor — overlapping with Kipp Brothers' Party & Carnival and decorations categories, and serving many of the same end consumers, event planners, and small businesses.
• Spencer Gifts / Spencer's: Spencer's is a US specialty retailer focused on novelties, gag gifts, costumes, and impulse/seasonal items sold through mall-based stores — comparable to Kipp Brothers' Gifts and Toys & Novelties lines on product type, customer demographic, and seasonal merchandising.
• Oriental Trading: Oriental Trading is the largest US direct competitor in party supplies, novelties, toys, and bulk carnival/school supplies — operating a near-identical B2B+B2C wholesale/retail model with a much larger catalog and broader national fulfillment. Highly comparable on product mix, customer segments, and business model.
• SmileMakers: SmileMakers specializes in dental-office and pediatric rewards — toys, stickers, and small prizes sold to professional offices — overlapping with Kipp Brothers' Dental Office segment and Sunday School / classroom prize assortments.
• Oriental Trading Fun 365 (VBS-focused brands): Group Publishing (Group VBS / Simply VBS) and Oriental Trading's Fun 365 are direct competitors in the Vacation Bible School supplies category — themed kits, decorations, and curriculum downloads sold to churches, the same primary buyer Kipp Brothers targets.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/KippBrothers
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCAU8ihK6XKD-J_vQFV6ykRg
• Facebookfacebook.com/Kipp-Brothers-25719788463
• Instagraminstagram.com/kippbrothers
• Pinterestpinterest.com/kippbrothers
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/kipp-brothers

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 Kipp Brothers