Key resident helps others fashion lasting memories

Rita Glosser is in the business of preserving memories, so it’s not surprising that she has two huge scrapbooks filled with thank-you notes and photos sent to her by her clients.

“The bears are more beautiful than I ever dreamed,” reads one letter.

“My sister and I can no longer hug our mother, but we can hug our bear,” says another.

Glosser, founder of Reminkie Memory Bears, became so involved with one client’s bear-designing process that she helped her finish the last two lines of a poem to go along with the bear.

“I’m very hands-on, from start to finish,” says Glosser. “I truly appreciate being a part of so many people’s lives.”

Glosser started the company 16 years ago when she found herself at a loss over what do with a mink stole she had inherited from her mother.

“I knew my daughter would never wear it, and I was expecting my first grandchild at the time, so I thought it would make a wonderful keepsake for them,” says Glosser.

Over the years, Glosser’s clients began requesting products made from different materials, such as baby blankets, uniforms and wedding dresses. Reminkie Memory Bears expanded its product line to include fabric and necktie bears, throw blankets and — its newest addition — the necktie pillow.

The necktie pillows come in several different sizes, ranging from 12 inches by 16 inches to 18 inches by 18 inches.

“The great thing about these is that they’re so eclectic,” says Glosser. “They can go with practically any room or décor.”

The necktie pillow also allows customers to put an often unused part of their wardrobe on display.

“The lifestyle here just doesn’t call for ties very often,” says Glosser. “But why should they just sit in closet when they can be displayed?”

The pillows, which Glosser describes as “a living tribute to someone,” have been especially popular as birthday gifts.

One of Glosser’s clients recently made a necktie pillow for her husband, who had a tradition of buying a tie whenever he went on a business trip or vacation.

“Think about how many ties you’ve given as gifts and Father’s Day presents over the years,” says Glosser.
“This is about taking the ties out of the closet and utilizing them.”

Whether she’s designing a bear, a blanket or a necktie pillow, Glosser is driven by her passion for preserving her clients’ cherished memories.

“It’s a matter of sentimentality and love coming in the form of something tangible,” says Glosser. “We recycle, recreate and re-energize. We keep memories alive.”

To create your own keepsake, contact Reminkie Memory Bears at 800-373-6465 or visit its website, reminkiebears.com.

Contact Maria Amodio at [email protected].