Please enjoy our popular Armchair Tour of West Hartford History series presented by our former Executive Director Jennifer Matos. Each episode, Jennifer traveled to a new area of West Hartford to share a bit about the history. Some places you’ll recognize, some have been lost to time. All help to tell the story of West Hartford, Connecticut! Visit www.noahwebsterhouse.org for more!
Who remembers the Cabbage Patch Kids craze of 1983? The company behind the sought-after dolls, Coleco Industries Inc., was based right here in West Hartford!
Coleco began as Connecticut Leather Co. in 1932 by Russian immigrant Maurice Greenberg as a wholesale distributor of shoe repair supplies, such as leather, rubber heels, and soles.
Maurice's sons, Leonard and Arnold Greenberg, later got involved with the company and expanded it into the toy, plastics, and electronics industries. They were the biggest manufacturer of above-ground pools in the world and a leading producer of handheld sports games. An early home video game system called "Colecovision" was a big success.
In 1982, Coleco bought the rights to a line of dolls called "Little People" made by Original Appalachian Artworks. Coleco changed the name to Cabbage Patch Kids and began mass production. Cabbage Patch Kids were an instant success and the brand
generated about $2 billion in sales. It was around this time that Coleco moved its creative offices to the old Talcott Junior High building on New Britain Avenue in West Hartford.
Learn more about Coleco Industries Inc. in this 49th episode of the Armchair Tour of West Hartford History!
A special thanks to the Vernon D. and Florence E. Roosa Family Foundation Memorial Fund for underwriting the Armchair Tour of West Hartford History series.