About Chris Herrington

Chris Herrington: Entrepreneur, Innovator, and Founder of Herrington Teddy Bears

Chris Herrington was born in Minneapolis, Minnesota, to Canadian parents from Calgary, Alberta. Shortly after his birth, his family returned to Canada, where he spent his childhood growing up in both Eastern and Western Canada.

Chris attended high school in Montreal, Quebec, before completing his education in Calgary, Alberta. In 1977, he enrolled at McGill University, one of Canada’s most prestigious institutions. After two years, however, he realized that his true passion was not academia—it was entrepreneurship. He returned to Calgary determined to build a business of his own.

Even as a young boy, Chris displayed a strong entrepreneurial spirit. Rather than relying on an allowance, he earned his own spending money through a variety of ventures, including paper routes, gardening services, and snow removal during Canada’s long winters. These early experiences helped develop the work ethic, resilience, salesmanship, and determination that would become defining characteristics throughout his career.

Back in Calgary, Chris entered the interior decorating and finishing industry, working on model homes and residential projects. His work included wallpaper installation, painting, and interior finishing for many beautiful homes throughout Alberta. During this period, he also worked alongside highly skilled German craftsmen who taught him traditional European techniques in painting, finishing, and light carpentry. The experience provided valuable hands-on knowledge and an appreciation for quality craftsmanship that would later influence his own business ventures.

By 1984, Chris was ready for a new challenge. Exercising his birthright as an American citizen, he moved to Los Angeles, California, with a vision of creating a larger future for himself. To support himself, he accepted a position as a server at the original Cheesecake Factory in Marina del Rey.

What began as a job soon became the launching point for an entrepreneurial journey. While working at the restaurant, Chris began producing souvenir T-shirts and sweatshirts for the Cheesecake Factory. A chance encounter would soon change the course of his life. A coworker named Sandy received a teddy bear and asked Chris if he could create a miniature Cheesecake Factory T-shirt for it. After he did, she proudly displayed the bear in the bakery, where customers immediately began asking if it was available for purchase.

Recognizing an opportunity, Chris developed a line of teddy bears for the Cheesecake Factory. The concept proved successful and became the foundation of what would eventually become Herrington Teddy Bears.

Throughout the 1980s and 1990s, Chris expanded his merchandising business, developing products for restaurants, retailers, and hospitality companies across North America and beyond. His entrepreneurial drive led him to secure relationships with notable brands including Giorgio Beverly Hills, Mercedes-Benz, and the rapidly growing Hard Rock Cafe organization.

Chris began working with Hard Rock Cafe when the company had only a handful of locations. Over the years, he helped develop merchandise programs as the brand expanded into a global phenomenon with locations around the world. His ability to identify opportunities, build relationships, and create unique branded products earned him a reputation as an exceptional business developer and creative entrepreneur.

As Herrington Teddy Bears continued to grow, Chris expanded into collegiate licensing, creating officially licensed teddy bears for universities across the United States. His company ultimately developed products for more than 250 colleges and universities, including renowned institutions such as the University of Notre Dame, UCLA, USC, the University of Michigan, and many others.

International opportunities soon followed. Chris established relationships in Japan, where his teddy bears were used in promotional campaigns and gift-with-purchase programs for luxury fragrance brands. These ventures helped expand the company’s global reach and introduced Herrington Teddy Bears to international markets.

Beyond creating custom merchandise, Chris also developed his own original teddy bear characters and stories. He created “The Adventures of Harry and Hannah,” a series that included original storybooks such as The American Adventure and The Christmas Adventure. Through these projects, he combined his entrepreneurial skills with his passion for storytelling, creativity, and character development.

Over the course of more than four decades, Chris built Herrington Teddy Bears from a small startup venture born at the original Cheesecake Factory into an internationally recognized specialty teddy bear company. The business evolved from its early beginnings in Venice Beach and Marina del Rey to larger operations throughout Orange County, including Costa Mesa, Irvine, Tustin, and Newport Beach.

Today, Chris continues to lead Herrington Teddy Bears into a new era. Building upon decades of experience in licensing, product development, branding, and storytelling, he is focused on expanding the company through direct-to-consumer marketing, e-commerce, and collectible limited-edition teddy bear collections.

Chris Herrington’s story is one of perseverance, creativity, entrepreneurship, and vision—a journey that transformed a simple idea into a lifelong passion and a globally recognized brand.