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By Kristen Hampshire

The National Bobblehead Hall of Fame and Museum blends novelty, nostalgia and smart gift shop strategy.

There are museums dedicated to art, history, science and sports. And then there’s the one where presidents, mascots, movie icons and pop-culture legends all share the same stage and have a common trait: a nonstop nodding head.


Inside the National Bobblehead Hall of Fame and Museum in Milwaukee, visitors can explore more than 10,000 unique bobbleheads spanning sports, politics, entertainment, comics and current events. What began as a passion project between co-founders Phil Sklar and Brad Novak has grown into a hybrid of museum, manufacturer and fast-moving specialty retail brand.


The store shows off all of its presidential bobbleheads beside some cubbies filled with souvenir T-shirts and bobbleheads.

Right now, the timing couldn’t be better. With America’s 250th birthday celebration this year, the museum’s production arm is rolling out historically themed releases, including a just-unveiled Declaration of Independence bobblehead puzzle set.


But for Sklar, the real magic is in the museum’s novelty and how visitors end up bobbing for connections. Sklar shares his perspective about how the museum grew from a hobby to a national brand, what sells in the gift shop, and why bobbleheads remain one of retail’s most surprisingly durable categories.



Q. How did a personal collection turn into a national museum?

A: Brad and I both grew up collecting sports cards, and that collecting mindset carried over to bobbleheads in the early 2000s. We started circling giveaway dates on minor league calendars and realized there was a resale market. A bobblehead from a game could sell for $100 or more. As our collection grew into the thousands, we saw an opportunity to create something unique: a museum paired with a company that produces and markets original bobbleheads.



Q. You’re not just displaying bobbleheads. You’re making them. What’s your niche?

A: Our focus is on current events and people or topics that have never had a bobblehead — or haven’t had one in a long time. We’ve produced thousands over the past decade, from U.S. presidents to historic firsts, including the first bobbleheads for many Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) mascots. We have a growing list of licenses, from the Blue Man Group to Marilyn Monroe and Penguin Random House for children’s book characters like The Little Engine that Could. We also collaborate widely with colleges, organizations, pop culture brands, along with selling online through marketplaces and in retail outlets nationwide.



Q. How does the America’s 250th celebration fit into your product strategy?

A: It’s a two-pronged approach. We already have a lot of historically themed bobbleheads like presidents, monuments and figures like Martin Luther King Jr. We’re expanding that significantly. On Jan. 7, we unveiled our Declaration of Independence bobblehead puzzle set, featuring Thomas Jefferson, John Hancock, John Adams and Benjamin Franklin. Together, the four figures recreate the iconic painting scene. It’s a preorder item that will ship in June, and we’ll continue releasing figures tied to key dates and historical milestones throughout the year.



Q. What role does the museum gift shop play in the overall business?

A: It’s huge. We carry more than 500 unique bobbleheads for sale in the museum alone. Because visitors come from all over the country, we stock a wide range including regional teams, national figures and pop culture bobbleheads. Someone from Boston might grab a Red Sox mascot, someone from L.A. might want LeBron James. We also offer free shipping if someone buys in the museum and wants a figure we don’t have on hand.



Q. Beyond bobbleheads, how has your souvenir assortment evolved?

A: We’ve expanded a lot. Early on, we had just a few basics. Now we have 30 to 40 different souvenir items including T-shirts, magnets, pins, keychains, postcards, stickers and hats. Magnets, pins, keychains and postcards are consistently strong sellers. We see a mix of serious collectors and casual travelers looking for a fun, affordable keepsake.



Q. What feedback do you hear most from your visitors?

A: They can’t believe how many bobbleheads we have. Being overwhelmed in a good way is part of the experience. The variety and the chance to find something personal is what turns a visit into a purchase.