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 Sponsors and Curators
The Museum of Yo-Yo History is a labor of love, and we would not be able to stay up-to-date with exhibits without the support of our sponsors and curators. Big thanks go to One Drop Design and Duncan for supplying us with their latest models, YoYoExpert for their help and support, and to Cody Orr, TotalArtist and YoYoBrothers™ for allowing us to use their collections!
If you're a manufacturer, or just a big collector and you want to help support the Museum drop me at line at chimera@yoyomuseum.com
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| BC/What's Next Phantom - No. 23 - Millenium Celebration |
| Exhibit #4480 |
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| Type | Special Release |
| Shape | Standard (-) |
| Axle | Fixed |
| Finish | Painted |
| Color | Black |
| Packaging | Display Boxed |
| Construction | Three piece wood |
| Response | None |
| Gap | Fixed |
| Condition | Mint |
| Date | 2000 |
| Owner | Rick Brough |
| Compare |  |
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The BC/What's Next MM, Arcade, NY 2000 yo-yo with MM serving as the year 2000 in Roman numerals. The yo-yo body was the company's three-piece, maple, fixed axle Phantom - No. 23. The bottom of the yo-yo's display box has a "Phantom - No. 23" sticker under the "Limited Edition, Millennium Celebration, Arcade, New York, May 27, 2000" sticker.
The significance of May 27, 2000 on the sticker is not clear. It's a ho-hum date; no historical events occurred on that Saturday. It may have been the exact date of the yo-yo's release, but that seems unlikely given the gold foil seal on its face. Perhaps it was the five year anniversary of incorporation by BC/What's Next Manufacturing? It's also possible that this model was sold exclusively locally in the area of Arcade, NY or directly from the What's Next's plant. Speculation certainly abounds. The yo-yo was sold by a seller who was located in Arcade.
Black glossy paint with a gold foil imprint. This BC/What's Next yo-yo edition is challenging to find now.
Original retail price: $5 US.
About BC/What's Next Manufacturing
BC/What’s Next Manufacturing was founded in 1995 by the current president, Brad Countryman. The company is located in the rural town of Arcade, NY and employs 75 people. They are renowned for being the world’s top producer of both fixed-axle wooden yo-yos and aluminum ball bearing yo-yos, which they manufacture under the "BC" and "Tom Kuhn". The company’s history, however, dates back even further.
In the late '70s, Brad Countryman, a true woodworking aficionado, faced a scrap wood problem in his custom furniture manufacturing business. Rather than disposing of leftover wood, he decided to craft toys and yo-yos at his Country Wood Shop. The transition from making little cars and trucks to creating yo-yos was natural. In 1981, he showcased yo-yos at the New York Toy Fair, where they garnered significant attention. Companies like L.L. Bean, Eddie Bauer, and Land’s End began marketing custom-made versions of Countryman’s yo-yos. By 1982, the small shop produced 10,000 yo-yos made from exotic woods, which found their way into museum shops and upscale catalogs as high-end novelty gifts.
During the late 1980s, Countryman’s company, now called Hummingbird Toy Co., LTD., gained worldwide recognition for its ability to create high-quality wooden toys. They even produced the popular Yo-Yo Man/Smother’s Brothers yo-yos. However, in 1991, Countryman sold 70% of his share in Hummingbird and remained with the company only as the Creative and Marketing Director. In 1992, a severe flood led the company to shift production to Thomas the Tank Engine railroad sets for preschoolers, eventually driving them into bankruptcy in the mid-1990s. Responding to popular demand, Brad Countryman picked up the pieces left behind by Hummingbird and decided to return to manufacturing yo-yos, leading to the birth of What’s Next in 1995.
So, while the official founding year is 1995, the roots of BC/What’s Next Manufacturing trace back to the early '80s when Brad Countryman first ventured into yo-yo production. | |
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