MERRIMACK, NH--(Marketwired - October 16, 2015) - When Harvard-trained engineer and former auto executive Pierre de Beaumont founded Brookstone with his wife Mary Deland in 1965, he gave hobbyists and other innovation-minded people a new way to get their hands on hard-to-find tools and smart new inventions.

"Fifty years later, the Brookstone mission remains the same," said Brookstone CEO Tom Via. "It's our job to discover, develop and launch new inventions that make life easier, better and more fun. Now we just do it on a global scale."

2015 marks the 50th anniversary of Brookstone. "But even if it weren't a milestone anniversary," Via said, "we'd still have a lot to celebrate. In 2015, we launched more than 100 new products for the holiday season, including our soon-to-be-announced Top 10 Wow Gifts of the Year. We also launched a new website, a new interactive store format, and, most important, our new product launch program at BrookstoneLaunch.com, that speeds up time-to-market for projects with inventors, startups, and other innovation partners around the world."

Among the first major products brought to market this year through the company's Brookstone Launch program are Brookstone Cat Ear Headphones, which feature working cat ear-shaped speakers and built-in accent lighting, and Fizzics™, a personal beer dispenser that creates a fresh-from-the-tap experience from any bottle, can or growler. Brookstone Labs' in-house product developers have also been busy this year, launching the Brookstone Renew™ Massage Chair and Big Blue Unplugged™ Indoor/Outdoor Wireless Speaker among their 2015 inventions.

"Our 50th Anniversary celebration isn't just about new products-it's also about serving our customers better," said Via. Brookstone also recently launched a new Brookstone.com website with enhanced performance for both desktop and mobile users, and a new interactive retail store format, with "Lift and Learn" display technology that dynamically serves digital product information whenever customers approach or pick items up. 

"I like to think that Pierre de Beaumont and Mary Deland did envision a time when their small Brookstone company would work with inventors and serve customers all over the world," Via said. "Together they created a great American brand centered on doing things better. What could be better than working at a company dedicated to that?"

About Brookstone, Inc.

Brookstone, founded in 1965, is a specialized nationwide retailer of innovative and lifestyle products designed for smart living. Brookstone offers a diverse collection of exclusive, uniquely designed, high-quality products through a multi-channel strategy including catalog mail orders, phone orders, online at Brookstone.com and 218 store locations in shopping malls and high-traffic airports across the US and Puerto Rico.

In 2015, the company inaugurated its Brookstone Launch program to give inventors, startup incubators, crowd funders and other companies access to Brookstone product development, manufacturing, marketing and retail resources. To submit products, visit BrookstoneLaunch.com.

CONTACT INFORMATION

For more information contact:

Emily Spensieri

1-888-471-4893

espensieri@quillerandblake.com