Iconic novelty brand Lisa Frank could be planning a big bright return, filling homes and backpacks again with its spectrum of eye popping colors and designs, but there is still mystery surrounding what is happening with the brand's assets behind the scenes.
Lisa Frank built a factory in 1996 in the Tucson area, in Arizona, but later closed down in 2013. A 200,000-square-foot portion of the 300,855-square-foot industrial space is listed online for rent.
Now the future of the facility has now become an even bigger mystery after Lisa Frank posted a video of two brightly colored mascots posing outside of the structure with the caption, "We're baaaack."
@lisafrank We’re baaaack! 🤭🌈🏠 #lisafrank #lisafrankwarehouse #lisafrankvibes #lisafrankcore #lisafrankinspired #lisafrankforever ♬ original sound - rxnplify
In the rental listing, the facility appears to have been freshly painted with some improvements to the exterior.
Scripps News Tucson reached out to Lisa Frank, hoping to clear up some of the questions that surround what exactly is happening, but the brand didn't not immediately respond.
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The Tucson Weekly reported that the brand's founder, Lisa Frank, started crafting jewelry while at the University of Arizona, working with local Native American communities.
Frank gave the company its iconic name in 1979 and received her first large order from Spencer Gifts that same year, when she was 25 years old, according to reports citing an interview with Urban Outfitters.
Some of the brand's most iconic designs, which are all in bright rainbow colors, was a gumball machine and the famous dolphins leaping out of water.
The Huffington Post hosted a report on Frank, citing The Daily, where she called herself a "very, very, low-key" person. Her brand seems to have a hold on the pop culture of its day. She once spoke about pop icon Michael Jackson, expressing empathy for him. She said she feels "really bad for people who've had to live under so much paparazzi."
The online recruitment company Zippia reported that Lisa Frank has grossed over $1 billion in sales since 1979. The company hit huge success in 1987 when Frank began producing school supplies that featured her original designs.
