(Featured) ‘I owe it to my childhood’: 20-year-old acquires license to create Looney Tunes, Scooby-Doo collectibles

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STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — West Brighton resident Matthew Granberg, 20, has always been interested in making his own money and being his own boss.

In fact, his first business venture occurred when he sold his Lego sets at just 12 years old.

An avid collector of comics and all things Star Wars, Granberg soon started to sell his own collectibles.

“I decided I wanted to open a resale business, and sell other businesses’ collectibles,” he said of MG Collectibles and Toys, which he founded in 2019. “I’ve always been a huge fan of collecting. This kind of business has always been my dream, and one day I really just decided that I had nothing to lose, and that there wasn’t a reason for me to not start a business.

But then one day, he said he woke up wanting to take his business to the next level.

“I said to myself: ‘Hey, why am I selling other people’s stuff? Why don’t I try to create my own brand?’” recalled Granberg.

Granberg has created a variety collectibles, including Scooby-Doo figurines. (Courtesy of Matthew Granberg)

And he set out to do just that.

Granberg reached out to Warner Brothers (WB) and asked if he could be granted a license to create his own products.

“They got in touch with me six months later, and the rest is history,” he said, noting he signed the deal with WB in April2021.

With a knack for design, he created his own collectibles and oversaw the manufacturing process from start to finish. This led to his creation of a variety items, including Looney Tunes and Scooby-Doo figurines.

The Looney Tunes collectibles — featuring all-time favorite characters, like Sylvester, Tweety, Bugs Bunny and Daffy Duck are about eight inches tall. And the Scooby-Doo character collectibles reach upward of 14 to 19 inches.

“With the Looney Tunes and Scooby-Doo brands, I feel like I owe it to my childhood self to take this opportunity and give it my all. Growing up with these classic shows has proven to give me a ton of inspiration in the development of future products. … It’s very nostalgic for me. It’s really a dream come true,” said Granberg. (Courtesy of Matthew Granberg)

FULFILLING A CHILDHOOD DREAM

“With the Looney Tunes and Scooby-Doo brands, I feel like I owe it to my childhood self to take this opportunity and give itmy all. Growing up with these classic shows has proven to give me a ton of inspiration in the development of future products.… It’s very nostalgic for me. It’s really a dream, come true,” said Granberg.

And WB isn’t his last stop.

Granberg said he is in the works of obtaining a license with AMC for “The Walking Dead.” And the avid collector’s dream is to sign deals with Star Wars, Marvel and DC Comics.

“Once I get licenses for them [DC, Marvel Comics and Star Wars] l’ll be so happy with that. …It’s very exciting,” said Granberg.

Granberg’s Scooby-Doo character collectibles reach upward of 14 to 19 inches. (Courtesy of Matthew Granberg)

INSPIRED BY FAMILY

Granberg said that his father, George Granberg, has proved to be a big inspiration in his quest to upstart and grow his business.

“My dad and pop have worked extremely hard their entire lives, and have really shown me what it’s like to be determined to provide for your family. I always saw how hard my father worked as a firefighter with a side construction job. My dad never gives up, and that has inspired me to work hard as well,” said Granberg, noting that his grandparents and “everyone in his family” have inspired him.

While a family member helped him start the business by giving him a loan, Granberg said he’s looking for investors to bring MG Collectibles and Toys to the next level.

The Looney Tunes collectibles — featuring all-time favorite characters, like Sylvester, Tweety, Bugs Bunny and Daffy Duck — are about eight inches tall. (Courtesy of Matthew Granberg)

And he is determined to achieve a pathway to success.

“I am determined to succeed, and determined to learn. No matter how much I know about this business, there’s always more to learn. I will never give up — even when I’m at my lowest point. I am currently looking for funding to really skyrocket this

venture, and have heard thousands of ‘nos’ due to being pre-revenue, and such a niche business in the toy industry,” said Granberg.

But he won’t let that stop him from reaching his goals.

“I will never give up, because I know we will succeed no matter what,” predicted Granberg. “There will always be people who doubt you or don’t see your vision, and that’s okay. … You just need to remember not to give up yourself.”

Granberg founded his business, MG Collectibles and Toys, in 2019, and acquired the license from Warner Brothers last year. (Courtesy of Matthew Granberg)

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