In an era where many toy companies have struggled and failed, Fat Brain Toys is proof that quality products, hard work, and Midwestern hospitality can be a truly powerful combination

The term "garage start-up" is often used to describe companies with humble beginnings - whether they really started in a garage or not. But in the case of Fat Brain Toys, the garage was actually a stepping stone from a mere subterranean beginning. In the fall of 2002, then 10 year-old Adam Carson received a magnetic building toy called Geomag for his birthday. Fascinated with the toy and looking to spend some additional birthday money, he went online to see if he could buy a larger set. Discovering how difficult it was to find online, he suggested to his father, a web developer by trade, that they create their own online store to sell the specialty toy. The rest, as they say, is history!

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