Specialty Toy Stores

 - We loved selling the Frog & Toad books with matching stuffed animals. Just another interesting specialty toy store product!

Specialty Toy Stores: Before owning a specialty toy store we did not realize why toy prices in small toy stores were higher than in the “big box” stores. We figured the independent toystores were choosing a higher markup just because they could. This is not the case. Some products that are sold to the big chain toystores are not even available to the small toy store owner, because we would be required to buy so much of it that we’d need a huge store to put it in. We don’t have that luxury.

[Update: Our store is now closed/out of business]: One of our frustrations as toy store owners is being low on the totem pole when it comes to getting our merchandise. When we ordered Lego, for example, and Toys R Us or Target has a big Lego contract, they receive the product first. If there is any left, it filters on down to the independent retailer. 

One thing people may forget when comparison-pricing our toys with those at major toy retailers, is that the big stores like Walmart or Target do not offer the personalized shopping experience that we do. Nor do they offer gift wrapping if you are on your way to a birthday party. Many of our loyal customers tell us they’d rather save the 1/2 hour drive, save the gas, save the time, in order to have the full service experience that we offer.

Kids these days see so many commercials on t.v. that they want the toys they see on their favorite shows or commercials, instead of some of the great toys that the specialty toy store carries. The independent toy store tries to stay away from too many commercialized products, and most parents and grandparents appreciate the quality of the toys we offer in our toy store. As far as pricing goes, the small toy store cannot compete with the big box stores, because we do not get the same bulk discounts for high volume purchases that mass market stores demand. Our customers don’t always understand this, so we do try to educate our customers to help them understand why we carry the toys that we do, and why we may not carry the brand name item they were looking for. We hope to increase their awareness as to how the more intimate shopping experience at a specialty toystore can be more than worth the higher price.Also, in order for small businesses to survive, and therefore provide the convenience of short distance shopping for residents of the Santa Ynez Valley, it’s critical for locals to shop at their local small businesses.We truly are a “mom and pop” toystore, owned and operated by a mom and pop couple. The toy business is our main income and we’ve had reports that many independent specialty toy stores have gone out of business in the last five years. [Sept. 1, 2007 Update: WE HAVE NOW JOINED THE RANKS OF THOSE OUT-OF-BUSINESS]. Part of this is due to large online stores with big warehouses, and lower overhead, who can offer lower prices.

Another issue in the toy business is the preponderance of toys for sale everywhere you go. The local grocery supermarket sells toys, stuffed animals, arts & crafts. As does your local drugstore and gift shop. With toys available in some restaurants too, you truly can find toys almost any place you shop. 

You can see why the small toy shop is struggling today. [We owned a toystore in a very small town, and got very little foot traffic and very little tourism -- both of which we needed in order to be successful, but both of which are discouraged by most townspeople. While we understand and support the idea of remaining a small town, small businesses must survive, and we needed more customers for that to happen.]