Nation's First Store Stocked Only with Peeps Opens in Maryland

Fans of the sugar-coated, marshmellowy goodness known as "Peeps" gathered under a giant inflatable yellow chick on Thursday to celebrate the opening of the country's first store devoted entirely to Peeps. Much of the store's Peeps-branded products were inedible, but there were still plenty of of the treats to go around.

Kathy Bassininski, vice president at Just Born Inc., the family-owned company that created Peeps in 1954, revealed that interestingly, "One-third of the Peeps we sell, people don't eat. They play with them."

The company is run by Ross J. Born, along with his cousin, David Shaffer, in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. Born said, "I never in my wildest dreams thought Peeps would take off the way they did."

Peeps, in fact, are wildly popular and have attained an almost cult-like status. The very first Peeps were yellow chicks for Easter baskets. Now, the company makes Peeps for every holiday, including black cats, snowmen, and more. Just Born now claims that it makes enough Peeps in one year to circle the Earth twice.

The first Peeps & Co. store opened in National Harbor, a new mall and convention center along the Potomac river. Business was booming and peeps merchandise flew off the shelves.