Longtime Redlands business owner reflects on changes from the mall days to today

For nearly three decades, Star Tulip Stuffies has been a familiar stop for Redlands residents searching for thoughtful, educational and sometimes delightfully unexpected gifts.

Founded in 1997 by Kathy Harper, the specialty stuffed animal store has weathered shifting retail trends, mall closures and changing shopping habits while maintaining a loyal local following.

Harper’s path to small business ownership began after she was laid off from her job as a lab technician at UC Riverside in the 1990s. Around the same time, the Beanie Babies craze was sweeping the country.

“For some reason I got caught up in that because they were adorably cute,” Harper said.

She began selling stuffed animals at Market Night in downtown Redlands, gradually expanding her inventory to include wildlife, anatomy-themed plush toys and seasonal décor. In 2003, Star Tulip opened its first brick-and-mortar location at the Redlands Mall, later moving into a larger space within the mall.

When the mall closed in 2008, the business relocated to the Galleria at Tyler in Riverside. While the move kept the store afloat, Harper said Redlands always felt like home.

“We should have stayed in Redlands,” she said.

Star Tulip later operated on Sixth Street near Isabella’s Restaurant before settling into its current location at the Tri-City Shopping Center in 2019, where Harper shared space with the now-closed bakery Sweet Pea and Me.

“I love Redlands,” Harper said. “Redlands customers are so loyal.”

The Redlands Mall remains her favorite chapter.

“It was a place where the community came together,” she said, recalling the steady foot traffic and regular customers who helped sustain small retailers.

Today, Harper runs the store on her own, filling the space with carefully curated displays that group animals by habitat—jungle, forest, desert and ocean. Her background in botany and interest in biology influence how the animals are presented, and she often researches species to ensure accuracy.

She sees realistic stuffed animals as a way to spark curiosity and learning.

“I had a four-year-old come in looking for a bat,” Harper said. “She picked out one of the hanging ones and then started lecturing me on echolocation. I thought, yes—this is what we’re here for.”

Doctors have bought anatomy stuffies for their offices. “One of the coroners from Riverside took a DNA molecule back to the lab,” she said. “My chiropractor has a big spine stuffie.”

Star Tulip also attracts customers seeking comfort. Located next door to a veterinary emergency center, the shop frequently serves people who have recently lost a pet.

“Sometimes they want something to remember their pet by,” Harper said, noting that the store carries specific breeds of cats and dogs for that reason.

Over the years, Harper has supported a range of local causes, contributing gift baskets and donations to organizations and events including the Redlands Bowl, the Humane Society, the Youth Hope Car Show, the Orange Hunt and Caden’s Teddy Bear Drive.

One of her favorite traditions is selecting animals for car show gift baskets that match vehicle names, such as cougars, stingrays and broncos, each tied with a photo of the corresponding car.

The name Star Tulip is a nod to Harper’s earlier career, referencing a genus of native California lilies. Nature remains a central theme in her life and business. Her husband, Dane Karr, is a recently retired nature photographer whose work is displayed in a corner of the shop.

As she looks ahead, Harper is considering the future of the business.

“I would love to find a buyer who had a similar passion and a clue about how to do business,” she said.

For now, Star Tulip continues to serve generations of Redlands residents, children and adults alike, drawn in by animals that often carry personal meaning.