I sometimes forget that what may be “breaking news” here is of very little importance outside of my little bubble in the world.  For those of you who do not know already, I live close to Fort Wayne, the same city that the Vera Bradley company calls “home”. 

The big news here in Fort Wayne is regarding a lawsuit that was filed this week against the Vera Bradley company.  The lawsuit was filed by the company’s former supplier, claiming breach of contract.  You can see the full article and get more details here.

Basically, the company was sued by its former supplier, Robert Hinty and his three companies, because it moved its production operations in-house earlier this year.  Hinty was not only a supplier, but a former employee of the company, who took out a $3 million loan to grow his business as a supplier for Vera Bradley. 

Do I think this lawsuit is going to be a problem?  No, I think it’s just a minor hiccup, and I’m guessing that the ladies running the show there knew it was coming.  

Having worked in the legal field for several years, I always think its funny to watch Boston Legal (type) shows, where someone gets sued one day, and the very next day they show them in Court duking it out.  In real life, it never happens that way.  It takes months, usually years, before the case goes to Court.  Nine out of ten times the case settles before it ever makes it to that point.

I think that will be the outcome here.  Vera Bradley will file an answer to the complaint.  The parties will exchange discovery requests.  It may even make it as far as mediation.  But in the end, I think the parties will come to some private settlement.  Hinty will be able to pay back his loan, and may even get some start-up capital for his next venture, and both parties will move forward.

Of course, I could always be wrong!  It’s just my personal thoughts on the matter.  However, I will keep an eye on how the situation progresses and keep you updated. 

I just added a new category for the Vera Bradley Mimi Backpacks on the Discount Fabric Handbags store, and it got me thinking about how much I miss the one I used to have.  As a matter of fact, I even have a vivid memory of finding out that the style was retiring (I guess I was a little too attached!)…

My oldest son is now ten, but when he was just a little guy, we would have weekly playdates with his friend Cassidy.  During the summer, Cassidy’s mom and I would meet at the zoo here in Fort Wayne every Friday.   We would load up our Mimi backpacks with water bottles and Teddy Grahams, cover the kids in sunscreen, and go and spend a good couple of hours with the monkeys and zebras.

It was during one of these Friday outings that Cassidy’s mom informed me that our favorite backpack line was joining the ranks of discontinued Vera Bradley products.  It may seem superficial to some, but we were mutually bummed over the news! 

Unfortunately, the bag I took on all those weekly zoo trips eventually wore out and ended up in the Goodwill box.  Cassidy’s mom and I also lost touch, as our kids grew and their maturing interests consumed our schedules.  However, any time I see a Vera Bradley Mimi backpack (and they are still around, believe it or not), I think of those zoo trips - and fondly remember the good times we had with Cassidy and her mom.

Check out the results of our most recent poll regarding cleaning Vera Bradley bags.

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As you can see, the overwhelming majority responded that they clean their purses “all the time” in the washing machine.  For those on the fence for this issue (according to our poll, a quarter of our readers), there are some things you should keep in mind…

First, most of the purses made from the classic cotton fabrics are fine to put in the washing machine on the gentle cycle using cool water.  If the purse has a removeable base, make sure to take it out before tossing the bag in the wash.  Keep in mind, however, that many of the matching accessories are spot clean only.  To be on the safe side, when you first purchase an item, make note of the care instructions. 

Second, make sure that the detergent you are using is ok to use with cotton fabrics.  Some detergents, such as Woolite for Delicates, are not recommended. 

Finally, although cleaning most Vera bags in the washing machine is ok, drying in the dryer is not.  The best method is good old fashioned air drying.  

It is important to note that items from the Vera Bradley microfiber and silk collections should NOT be cleaned in the washing machine, nor is it recommended that they be dry cleaned.  Instead, spot cleaning is the way to go for these limited edition fabrics. 

Thanks to all who voted, and of course, if you have any tips to share regarding caring for Vera Bradley bags and accessories, make sure you share by leaving a comment here.

I have a lot of fun putting together the polls on this site and seeing the responses.  For my next poll, I am looking for some help from you.  This assignment requires you to put your creative thinking cap on.  Why?  Well, it’s time to think like a Vera Bradley product designer!

As I’m sure you already know, the Vera Bradley company makes more than just purses and luggage.  They dabble in a variety of things - home decor, stationary, pet products, even eyeglasses - you name it.  With that in mind, if you were a designer for the company, what would you like to see added to its product line? 

For the next week or so, I will be accepting submissions.  Then, voting time!  I’ll set up a poll, and we’ll see which product idea is the most popular.  And yes, I admit it - I have watched one too many episodes of Donald Trump’s “The Apprentice”, so I will also participate and submit the first idea to get the ball rolling.

One more thing, this is just for fun.  However, you can actually submit product ideas to them. So, after you finish brainstorming, if you think you’ve got a winner, I encourage you to jot down your ideas, and put them in the mail to:

Vera Bradley
Attn: Product Development
2208 Production Road
Fort Wayne, Indiana 46808

As promised, I’m including my own submission.  Here it is…

I think a Vera Bradley baby carrier would be a great! Unfortunately, my youngest son is three now.  As you can imagine, it would be difficult to squeeze his forty pounds of toddler fat into a baby carrier.  However, if they added a baby carrier to their product line - well, that just might be the incentive I need to try for that little girl I always wanted!
 
Tag, you’re it!  Got any ideas?

UPDATE ON 6/18/08:

Ok, I’m going to be wrapping this up in the next day or two.  If you have an idea, don’t be shy - let’s hear it!  There’s been some really great ideas submitted so far - here’s a quick recap (for more information about each, check out the comments section). 

Amy suggested a fanny pack…
Melanie suggested scrapbooking paper…
Vicki suggested a toddler bag…
…and I suggested a baby carrier

All great ideas, don’t you think!  Starting next week, make sure you return to vote for your favorite in the next poll.

UPDATE ON 6/22/08:

We received one more entry.  Jillian suggested potholders and oven mitts…

All great ideas!  Voting has now started (see the poll on the right side of the page).  So, what are you waiting for - go vote!

UPDATE ON 7/26/08:

Well, I was running the poll over on the right side, but after doing some updates to the site, it’s no longer working in the sidebar.  I have added it here, so you can still vote.

By the way, if you do want to vote, make sure you do it soon!  This poll is set to expire in just a couple more days, on July 31… 

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As I am writing this, the 15th Annual Vera Bradley Classic is wrapping up.  The Classic is a three day event combining tennis exhibitions with 18- and 9-hole golf tournaments, all to raise money for breast cancer research.  Last year, the Classic brought in over one million dollars, and with a record number of participants this year (and fantastic weather), it’s likely that the 2008 event will again raise more than one million dollars for breast cancer research.

I recently read that the Vera Bradley Foundation for Breast Cancer has raised more than seven million dollars for this cause.  The Classic is just one way the company is raising money for breast cancer research.  They also donate a percentage of the proceeds from the sale of certain fabric patterns, as well as 100% of the proceeds from their annual outlet ticket sales. 

The Vera Bradley Foundation also raises funds by selling pink ribbons in their “Turn the Town Pink” event.  Currently, hundreds (if not thousands) of trees in downtown Fort Wayne have large pink ribbons tied around their trunks.  Each ribbon has the name of a person who has battled breast cancer.  It’s really something to see - I plan to take some pictures to share with you, and I hopefully will post them soon…