Warren Buffett’s shopping extravaganza kicks off with Squishmallows pit

OMAHA, Neb. — Warren Buffett’s annual shopping event, the pregame Berkshire Hathawayshareholders flocked to the company’s annual meeting this weekend.

With more than 20,000 square feet of showroom space and more than 50,000 items in stock, CHI Wellness Center’s showroom showcases merchandise from multiple Berkshire Hathaway holdings, including Brooks Running, See’s Candies and Jazwares.

Only shareholders can participate in the event and can purchase items at a special discount.

The annual meeting will be broadcast exclusively by CNBC and streamed live on CNBC.com. Special coverage will begin at 9:30 a.m. ET on Saturday.

Jazzware

Jazwares, an American toymaker best known for its Squishmallows line of plush toys, was a hit when it debuted its products at a Berkshire Hathaway conference last year, including a Warren Buffett plush toy ‘s debut. This year, the company expanded its exhibition area in the conference hall, tripling its area.

Some highlights include Buffett and his long-time Berkshire partner Charlie Munger’s latest Squishmallows toys, the eye-catching Squishmallows pit, and other displays.

“Poor Charlie’s Almanac”

Bookworm only sold one book this year: “Poor Charlie’s Almanack: The Essential Wit and Wisdom of Charles T. Munger.” It was a request made by Buffett, who died in November at the age of 99, in memory of his business partner of more than 60 years.

flight safety

Berkshire Hathaway acquired pilot training company FlightSafety in 1996. Shareholders lined up to put on virtual reality glasses and experience flight simulation training.

pilot travel center

Truck stop giant Pilot Travel Centers set up a large display featuring a life-size red truck. The company is North America’s largest operator of travel centers with more than 750 locations. Berkshire Hathaway now fully owns Pilot Travel after purchasing the remaining 20% ​​stake from the Haslam family. The deal was not without drama, with the Haslams suing Berkshire Hathaway last year, accusing the group of using so-called push-down accounting without the Haslams’ authorization.

Duracell

Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway acquired Duracell from Procter & Gamble in 2016, paying $4.7 billion for a stake in the consumer giant in exchange for a stake in the company. Battery manufacturer.

brooks running

Brooks Running has attracted a large number of shareholders to snap up its 2024 special edition running shoes, which have the word “brk” printed on the side of the shoe and a running Buffett cartoon printed on the insole. Many shareholders also plan to attend the Brooks Invest in Yourself 5K fun run and walk on Sunday, the morning after the annual meeting.

ice queen

Warren Buffett bought Dairy Queen in 1998 in a deal worth about $600 million and has visited the Omaha factory with his great-grandson. According to the Wall Street Journal, the billionaire investor has said in the past that his favorite DQ order is vanilla soft-serve ice cream topped with chocolate syrup and malted milk powder.

Correction: Berkshire Hathaway’s annual shareholder meeting is held in Nebraska. Early versions of the subtitles did not reference this status.