Jin Kim, a previously prominent Wall Street restaurateur who was hit hard by the pandemic, has discovered an unexpected second job making one-of-a-kind memory bears, according to the New York Post.
After the closing of her beloved bistro due to Superstorm Sandy and then COVID-19, Kim turned to her sewing machine and launched a booming Etsy company, JinsBearsLLC, creating approximately 150 memory bears monthly
These one-of-a-kind bears, fashioned from nostalgic fabrics such as old shirts, baby blankets, and even blood-soaked garments, bring consolation to mourning families. Grace Kim, Kim’s daughter and business partner, highlighted anecdotes about customers mailing in T-shirts and textiles to memorialize departed loved ones, which were turned into meaningful bears.
Jin Kim’s foray into bear manufacturing began as an emotional Christmas present for her grandson. Encouraged by friends and family, she started an internet shop, and demand for her handcrafted souvenirs increased.
