Starbucks Bearista Bears And Other bears to admire, buy, collect, keep, or give away and the story of Teddy Bear

Barista bears - neat alliterative name. Unique to Singapore says the Starbucks sign. My family saw the cuddly toys in Clementi mall's Starbucks, by Clementi MRT railway station

If you know anybody who collects bears, or soft toys, or souvenirs, here is another bear for them.

Photo by Angela Lansbury.

We had gone into the Clementi mall specifically to search for a Starbucks for a reviving late afternoon coffee. Eventually we saw a shop guide on the wall and found the Starbucks was right in front of us. The seats at tables with comfy chairs were all taken. So we took seats side by side on a long bar style table. (After you have finished reading this post, see my other posts mentioning chope, or reserving a table.)

The staff had trouble understanding Doppio con panne (double espresso with whipped cream). The manager was able to sort this out. 

Italian Coffee

Now I realise why it helps to understand Italian. As a member of staff serving coffee or a customer ordering coffee, it helps to know that doppio means double. Con is with. Panne is cream. 

Cakes

The choice of cakes was wide and they were all tempting. We eventually chose a nutty muffin which was flavourful and had a great crunch and revived us. 

BEARS

I noticed the Starbucks bears and Moleskin brand notebooks for sale on the way in. As we sat in the Clementi mall branch of Starbucks I thought about the history of the teddy bear in America and where else you can buy it in modern Singapore. 

Whilst flying to Singapore, look for the Singapore Airlines bears in their in-flight shop catalogue. If you are going to be in Singapore next Christmas, you should also look for the bears in hotel shops.

Many shops have given up shops selling clothes and souvenirs in favour of faster selling food items, but they often have a cabinet with a toy alongside the cakes and biscuits and breads and jams.

The Teddy bear is named after the American President who apparently was out on a bear hunt but decided to save a baby bear. I learned aout this from the hotel in the USA which recorded his visit.

A newspaper cartoon recorded and publicized the incident of the President and the baby bear and an enterprising  toy maker made the bear which was such a success that bears have been made, sold, collected ever since.

The early bears are now collectors' items and have proved a good investment, financially as well as emotionally. You can also visit Teddy bear muses all over the world. If I remember rightly, in the USA, UK and Japan.

Where I have seen bears in Singapore:
Fullerton Hotel
Future Florist in Change Alley
Singapore Airlines Catalogue
YMCA, Orchard Road

Useful Websites
www.starbucks.com.sg
https://simple.wikipedia.org/wiki/Teddy_bear
singaporeair.com

Author
Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer.