Evolve this!

We are so excited to have these revolutionary evolutionary plush in the shop! Cute, fun AND educational!

Pumpkins!

We love this seasonal video! Big thanks to Junior Society for posting it on their amazing blog. Check it out!

That's How A Pumpkin Grows from fashionbuddha on Vimeo.

We won!

Thanks for all your votes! We are proud to be the area winner for Best Toy Store! Many thanks to our friends all over Virginia and beyond!

For Toy Store
in Norfolk

Richmond Rap

Here are some of the reasons we love RVA so much!

If only it were this cute...

Leave it to the super amazing Japanese to come up with such a cute video explaining how Google street maps are made. Special thanks to our friends at Fred Flare for bringing it to our attention!

Our web store is up and running!!

It's true! It's true! Our on-line store is alive and kicking! Go to www.worldofmirth.com and check it out!!

Be our friend on facebook!

World of Mirth on Facebook

3/50 Project Help keep local shops alive!

Our house

The sweet and super talented 5th grade Art X kids over at Fox painted a playhouse for us! It's made out of recycled cardboard that you can decorate yourself. It's easy to break down for travel and will provide your family with hours of fun play time. And yes, it can be recycled. Starting next week, you can stop by to check it out and learn how to win it! We would like to send a BIG THANKS to Mrs. Mingus and all the talented kids that worked on it for us!!

Our friends in the news!

Check out the June issue of Parenting magazine and find some of our very best friends! The kid-powered Plasmacar is on page 26 and the recycled wood and plastic awesomeness of Dunebug's Farm Truck is on page 28. The Farm Truck breaks down into a gardening tool set and comes with wild flower seeds to plant. Sweet!

Memorial Day Sale today!

Come in and get some super fresh deals on select playmobil and Paul Frank.

It's today only so hurry in!

Sophie is here!

We are happy to announce that we now have Sophie the Giraffe! This cult classic from France has been around for 46 years and is still going strong! Great for babies and makes a super awesome gift. Welcome, Sophie!

I won't grow up!

We are pleased to be selling tickets to this wonderful event! I saw a preview performance by the Fox Choir last night and can honestly say the kids were great. Be sure to check it out!

We are a Nickelodeon Parent's Pick Nominee!!

For Toy Store
in Norfolk

Vote for us and you could win $2000 in hard cash! Nope, not from us. It's from Nickelodeon. Thanks for the nomination! Now get out there and VOTE!!

Here comes the sun... sorta.

We have had nothing but rain, rain, and more rain here the past week. The sun peeked about from behind the clouds for a few minutes this morning, and all of Carytown basked in it's warm radiance before it slipped back behind it's velvet, gray covers.

The wet weather hasn't stopped the many people from stopping by the store to check it out. We've had customers from up north, down south, Canada and France (!) the past 2 days alone. Thanks for visiting, folks!


We just got in these awesome cardboard sculptures. You build them, color them (if you feel so inclined), and then display them. We are super happy to have them in the shop. And I personally can't wait to see what our customers do with them. After getting a photo in the mail of some of our mini chickens hatching out of an egg, or involved in a chicken train, I am positive many awesome projects will emerge.

Happy Earth Day!

After you are done planting that tree, feeding those neighborhood birds, and buying organic produce, think about shopping local year round.
When it comes to toys, small locally-owned businesses, like us, are known in the industry as "independent" or "specialty" toy stores.
So what difference does it make where you shop? it boils down to this: each of us has some say about whether the money we spend stays in our local economies-re-circulating to help create jobs and prosperity in the communities where we live- or whether those dollars leave town immediately, headed to corporate headquarters somewhere distant, as soon as you walk out the door of the big box chain store.
And that's not all. If you embrace shopping independents, the good news is that you can expect an entirely different retail experience. For example:

*Commitment to customers. Most people that operate specialty stores are the same people that help you. This means your business will be valued and you can expect good service. That kind of hands-on involvement and commitment to customer service is just plain tough to duplicate in the large chains.

*Reliable products. Toy buying is about your kids. Nothing matters more than knowing what you put in their hands is completely safe and will hold up no matter how your child uses it. Generally, products carried in specialty toy stores are carefully hand selected, and are more innovative and better made than those in big chain discount stores. We are committed to products made by manufacturers who have met or exceeded all safety standards. Yes, folks- we sell safe toys.

*Great service. It is through the natural activity of play that children explore, build social skills, learn to solve problems, and develop in a myriad of other ways. Some of this can happen without toys or with makeshift playthings like a cardboard box or a good, old-fashioned mud puddle. But sooner or later, most parents will buy toys-and many may not know what type of toy is best for their child's developmental level. One thing we are known for is our understanding of how to match toys to where kids are developmentally. It's the one reason you'll walk out with a toy your child will play with over and over and over. If not, bring it back and we'll take care of you by helping you find something else.

*Top value for your dollar. If the toys are better at independent stores, don;t they cost more? If you do the math, it may surprise you. Let's say a $10 dinosaur at a big chain store is a great birthday present for that little boy in your daughter's class. So you buy the toy plus gift wrap plus ribbon plus a bow plus a card. When you add it up, that birthday present has just cost you $15. For that same $15 at our store, you can buy a better dinosaur toy AND you get free gift wrapping. And if you comparison shop, you'll see that we usually look good on price even before you run through this kind of math.

So if todays' non stop newsfest about what makes the economy tick, or the fact that it's Earth Day, has gotten you thinking about your shopping habits, maybe this is the time to claim your independents, so to speak, and try shopping at a store that knows and cares about your community. Why send your hard-earned dollars to some distant corporate headquarters of a chain store when they can do so much good right here in Richmond, VA? Not to mention that we are so very lucky to have an area like Carytown here in RVA with such an array of wonderful, unique, locally owned shops. Keep it local, folks!

Amazing!

Tees from local artist Noah Scalin!

We are happy and fortunate to be able to provide you with two different tee shirt designs from Noah Scalin of Skull-a-Day fame! You can check out his awesome project here: http://www.skulladay.blogspot.com/. Stop by and pick up a shirt!

Spring Bada Bing!

We are so very excited to be a sponsor of the Richmond Craft Mafia's Spring Bada Bing, the mother of all craft shows!  Stop by and check out all the awesome local handmade goodness!

Oh so quiet.

Carytown has been quiet the past two days.  Sure, there's been people in the store and they've all come with friends.  Missing is the usual burst of life after the French Film Festival.  Most years, there are the last string of travelers that come through, hanging out in RVA for a day or two.  But not this year.

Maybe they heard the public schools will be on break next week and decided to leave before the throngs of smiling children and their laughing parents parade up and down Cary Street.  Or maybe they never came at all so there's no one to miss.  Who knows?

We are excited to host many a family gathering and Mom group meeting next week.  Swing by and check out the fun.

Happy today!

The best book EVER

It's true- we now have the best book in the world in our very own store.  What?  You don't know what book it is?  Well, I pity you, fool.  It's Chuck Norris vs. Mr. T.  Can you believe it?!?  Here's a taste of the amazing goodness you'll find within:

The reason newborn babies cry is because they know they have just entered a world with Chuck Norris.

The last man to make eye contact with Mr. T was Stevie Wonder.

Mr. T is the original black Power Ranger.

This book is, without a doubt, one bad mutha - shut your mouth!  Come in and get one!

Blown awaaaayyyyy!!!!

Today is so super duper windy!  We had to keep our beloved carnival mirror indoors for fear it would come crashing over.  Other than that, it's been a fun, sunshine filled day full of treats and nice people.  We finally got our shipment of Ye Olde English Dunnys, so that should keep all the vinyl toy heads happy.  Lots of new craft kits, whoopie cushions, bike horns, fart whistles and more also made it to us today.  Can you really have a bad day at a place where you get to hear people of all ages laugh at fart sounds?  I didn't think so...

Well, I am heading back to NYC for Toy Fair 2K9.  I'll let you know what I find.  Til then- be safe and Happy Valentine's Day!

Ahh, New York in the Winter time....

I saw lots of friends and spoke with a ton of cool people.  The Gift Fair can be a bit "overwhelming"- witness my buddy Tim here- and underwhelming at the same time.  I found a bunch of great things I can't wait to bring into the store for you all to see.

Speaking of that, our on-line shop should be up and running super soon!  I'll let you know when it's ready, ether on here or you'll hear me running down your street yelling about it.

And I know it's been said a billion times but.... President Obama!  O-Yeah!  The air suddenly feels easier to breathe and smells much much sweeter.  Here's to an awesome 2009!  We can all use the good wishes, vibes, prayers, etc.  Thanks for supporting WoM for all these years and believing in us to carry on.  We won't let you down!

Help save hand made toys!

Please go to www.change.org (look under "ideas for change- handmade toy alliance") to vote to help change legislation that could force thousands of small businesses to close.  Safety is our top priority- that's why we search out small businesses that care about the person- or child- that is going to play with their products.  The legislation, as it stands, would force a small toy company to pay up to $4000 per item for third party testing.  That is impossible for most companies making under $1 million a year and would seriously hinder your choice of available products, not to mention the insane price increases.  Please take the time to visit the site and do what you can to help out.  Thanks!

We are closed today.

Spend the day with those you love and be safe.  See you on 1/2/09.