In the year 2000, three career dads in Seattle were having trouble finding
old-fashioned games for their families, so they founded Front Porch
Classics (ToyDirectory),
a company that develops, manufactures and markets classic archival-quality
games.
Since then, Front Porch Classics has made a name for itself by creating
games that harken back to an earlier era of whimsical fun and masterful
craftsmanship.
Old Century Baseball
The Right Game at the Right Time
When Old Century Baseball, one of Front Porch Classic’s
premiere games, won Disney’s FamilyFun Magazine’s “2002 Toy of
the Year,” among other awards, it helped catapult Front Porch Classics
into the limelight they desired.
“From the standpoint of media exposure, we believed that the quality of
our products could lead to industry recognition and media interest,” states
company President and CEO Jamie Colbourne. “Our story seemed to dovetail
very strongly with the consumer trend toward cocooning inside the home
with family and friends, and we received a lot of coverage.”
“Front Porch Classics seemed to be an anomaly at the start, a company
making low-tech games and toys, launching in Seattle during the peak of
the dot.com economy,” says Steve Edmiston, vice president of creative
and corporate communications (among many other hats). “But as dads, we
believed that high play-value, low-tech games and toys provided tools
for families and friends to come together for shared fun and laughter.”
Dads Still at Bat
Two of the three founding fathers remain with the company, each bringing
a unique perspective. Creative Director Mark Jacobsen is former president
of the national greeting card company Madison Park Greetings. Edmiston
had practiced law in Seattle for 14 years and is also a feature-film screenwriter
with several awards under his belt.
All product conceptualization and development for Front Porch Classics
games is done in-house. The entire team contributes ideas for product
development. “We’re probably the only office space in downtown Seattle
with a working toy shop set up inside,” says Edmiston.
Old Century Dread Pirate
A Game for Home or Away
Front Porch Classics’ two product lines, Old Century Classics
and Circa Classics, provide an engaging setting for trips
to far off lands and times of yore. With games like the recently released
Old Century Dread Pirate and Old Century Games
Of the World, the entire family can be transported to another
time and place using their imaginations, while the batteries stay in the
desk drawer.
“Batteries are just one more hurdle to setting a game up,” says Edmiston.
“We want to eliminate anything that interferes with people connecting
through play.”
Old Century Baseball Pinball
The company’s premium game line Old Century Classics (retail $49.99 to
$129.99) features “Coffee Table Games” such as Old Century Shut-The-Box
and their award-winning Old Century Baseball,
a classic pinball table-game constructed with aged woods. The games’ high
level of craftsmanship makes them a display-worthy addition to any family
room.
Magnetic Seven-In-One game sets
Players can enjoy new renditions of popular games like dominoes, checkers,
chess and backgammon by owning the easily portable Six-In-One
Mini and Magnetic Seven-In-One game sets, all
part of the company’s lower priced Circa Classics games (retail $9.99
- $49.99). “Our games are always ready to play. They’re easy to access
and learn from a game-play standpoint, and they’re sitting out on the
coffee table,” says Edmiston.
New Releases
Old Century Games Of the World
Games of the World is inspired by leisurely activities
once enjoyed by kings from places such as India, Japan and Africa. Front
Porch Classics believes this is the first time the six games, including
Go, Chatarunga and Wari, have been offered in one collection.
Dirk Grove, president of Delaware’s Terrific Toys, believes Dread Pirate
will be a hit: “We partnered with Old Century Classics to test-launch
Dread Pirate on a limited basis during 2002, and we sold every unit we
could get our hands on. The game has the same ‘wow’ factor today that
it would have had 100 years ago.”
Old Century Tornado
Tops
Edmiston reports that Old Century Tornado Tops, which
will be released in time for the Holidays, were also hugely popular at
Toy Fair this year.
You can find Front Porch Classics toys and games through department stores
(Macy’s), websites (toysrus.com), catalogs (Back to Basic Toys), specialty
stores (The Museum Company) and even the Baseball Hall of Fame and American
Museum of Natural History. You can also find Front Porch Classics on the
Web at frontporchclassics.com.
Writer's Bio: Beth Michaels is a
freelance writer living in Barstow, California, and the proud mother of
a son, Kai.
