world of mirth: April 2009

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!