Christmas is over, and New Year’s is gone, and storefronts are already shifting to the next celebration with the conclusion of the holidays. Valentine’s Day merchandise is beginning to fill the shelves across town, and Jellycats, in particular, are a hot item that Seaside Papery can’t keep on the shelves. They’ve sold out of their holiday line already—and it’s only the first week of January.
Seaside Papery is a locally owned stationery shop that sells greeting cards, notebooks, art and office supplies, and an assortment of coastal-themed gift items. In 2018, the store began carrying Jellycats, a line of stuffed animals produced by an independent, London-based company founded in 1999.
The Jellycat brand features hundreds of plush animals such as bunnies, bears, and elephants. In 2019, the company expanded its offerings with its “Amuseables” line, which includes inanimate objects with smiling faces, ranging from a bowl of oatmeal with blueberries to ski goggles, an ice cream sundae, and the sun and moon.
Jori Fentiman, the owner of Seaside Papery, shared that she was looking for new ways to expand her shop’s coastal theme. “I have a children’s section [in the store], so I wanted to bring in a stuffed animal line,” she said. “At first, I ordered ocean animals mainly because people love octopuses and things like that for kids’ gifts. Then, they started growing more and more with food, sports, and quirky little things. I love them; They’re so cute.”
Although Jellycat has been around for over twenty years, its popularity recently skyrocketed; the company’s sales more than doubled last year and are almost eight times the amount that they were in 2018, according to its recent public filings.
Upon visiting the store, I witnessed the owner trying to place them on display and, before I could snap a picture, customers were already hovering around and taking them off of the shelves. These cuddly items were gone within minutes after Fentiman finished arranging them. Customers also walked in, requesting specific characters. Fentiman noted that she receives multiple calls a day from community members asking if she has any Jellycats in stock.
Jellycat spiked in popularity as the manufacturers began launching holiday editions and rotating out products over limited periods of time. “Customers see the [new characters], and they know that if they don’t get it, once it’s gone, it’s gone, so they create this eagerness to purchase quickly,” said Fentiman, adding that her favorite item was a smiley No. 2 pencil, which they no longer carry.
Sammy Johnson is a regular at Seaside Papery who has purchased over ten Jellycats from the store. “I always find myself in Seaside Papery looking for new ones, but I only buy the ones that are soft and big enough to sleep with,” she said.
The brand gained additional attention after opening an interactive experience in London, where customers could select a Jellycat and watch employees “cook” and “prepare” it in a fish-and-chips-style presentation.
Jellycat’s popularity surged further as unboxing videos began circulating online, with many going viral. “People have been sharing their collections online and developing a huge community through it,” said Fentiman. For many buyers, both young and old, the toys provide a sense of comfort and nostalgia.
Seaside Papery is seeing the effects firsthand of this global phenomenon. “We could [originally] order as many Jellycats as we wanted,” Fentiman said. “Ever since all of the craziness happened, however, they have limited what we can get. The demand is higher than the supply right now.”
Customer Felisa Mentecon traveled from Mexico to Coronado with her family over the holidays and was on the hunt for these cuddly toys. “We have gone to many, many stores across San Diego to find cute Jellycats,” she said. “They’re really popular and really cute decor for your bed, you can play with them, and they’re really popular with friends.”
Is this a lasting trend? Is this a phase? A fad? Time will tell.
Seaside Papery’s Valentine’s Day collection includes the Amuseables Arlette and Colette Heart Macarons, Cream Bunny with Rose, Heart Dragon, Rose Bouquet, Festival Horse, and Canterneigh Pony.
The remaining stuffed animals from the holiday collection will be placed on the shelves inside Seaside Papery throughout this week. Fentiman encourages buyers to purchase them before they run out. The store is located at 1162 Orange Ave, Coronado, CA 92118.
VOL. 116, NO. 1 – Jan. 7, 2026