When John Sortino began The Vermont
Teddy Bear Company in 1981, he sold his handcrafted Bears at the Church Street Marketplace in downtown
Burlington from an old-fashioned vegetable push cart. One day a gentleman approached him and said,
“Ya know, John, I want to buy some of your Bears, but could you please send them to my Mom?” With
that one simple request, the Bear-Gram gift delivery service we offer today was born. Now known as the Creative Alternative to Flowers, we ship Bear-Grams for lots of different gift giving occasions like Birthdays, new baby, get well, Mother’s Day, and of course Valentine’s Day!