Past, Present and Future: There is no standing still at ASTRA!

by Sue Warfield, ASTRA President

It has been an amazing year, and we have more to come that will lead us right into 2024 without missing a beat! Here’s a glimpse into 2023 and what’s coming in 2024 and 2025.

· We started off January 2023 with staff representing ASTRA at the Dallas, Atlanta, and Las Vegas gift shows. A major initiative of ours is to continue forward meeting our members, not only at our show, but out where they are as well. This included the Spielwarenmesse show in Nuremberg, Germany which was not only attended by our president, myself, but also by many of our retail, manufacturer, sales rep, and affiliate members. The great team from Spielwarenmesse treated ASTRA members to a fantastic, German meal that allowed our members to network with one another over food and drink. We shared with each other products that caught our eye at the show, as well as discussed the most industry pressing issues. Everyone lingered long past mealtime. We will be doing this again in 2024!

· In February, we attended the NY Now show. Our newest event, ASTRA’s Toy Boat Experience, launched on February 20, 2023 for four days to the Caribbean and back. It was something entirely new to all, and while many were a bit skeptical, we not only pulled it off, those that attended were treated to something amazing. The opportunity to see the newest and best of the vendors’ products in a more relaxed environment, attend educational offerings, take time with family, and participate in social events and networking spots throughout the cruise ship were the things that everyone loved. This set the Toy Boat apart from any trade show. Will we do it again? You bet! Watch for details coming soon on Toy Boat 2025, due to set sail on March 17, 2025.

· March was ToyFest – We love and will continue to attend Toy Fest every year. Once again, it is a great gathering of our specialty toy family.

· The ASTRA Play Awards – This was the first year of our former “Best Toys for Kids” Awards becoming the ASTRA Play Awards. Our amazing committee of retailers that works on these awards realized that kids aren’t the only ones that need to play. In addition, our stores sell products for all ages, beyond toys. Thus we now have the ASTRA Play Awards!

· This leads us to our biggest initiative for the next 18 months – getting as many of our members through our ASTRA Certified Play Expert course. This is what sets ASTRA retailers apart – being “experts” not only in the features and benefits of individual toys, but even more critically, on the science of play and how playing (at all ages) develops parts of the brain that nothing else can. Cognitive and physical development, mental, social, emotional health are all covered in the course. Classes in 2023 have been held in the Boston area, in the Chicago area, and we have a full class in the San Francisco area coming up in October. Check out the online course on our website and watch for more in-person classes coming in 2024!

· Marketplace & Academy 2023 – Columbus, Ohio! Our signature event brought a record crowd of 1452 attendees, representing 432 retail organizations. With sales reps, affiliates and inventors, our total individual attendees numbered 1452 with another 1187 exhibitor personnel. It was a fantastic showing of toy industry professionals!

· 2024 Marketplace & Academy is in St. Louis, MO, June 2-5. We’ve taken all our survey results into account as we work to make 2024 even better!

· Zoom meetings! We’ve heard how much our members like to get together and simply share ideas, brainstorm, and get to know one other. We now have monthly zoom gatherings for our members to attend and will continue this practice into 2024!

· Neighborhood Toy Store Month – 2022 was our first year that we expanded from Neighborhood Toy Store Day to a full month. Why? So our stores could have the entire month to do events around their schedules, and not have to fit everything into one day. Independent toy stores have this month to shine a light on all they have to offer – expert staff, personalized services, special events, new items that haven’t hit the mainstream big box stores and so much more!

In 2024 we will continue to listen to what our members want most. We will provide resources and support, and continue our mission to elevate, engage, and promote the success of our membership and to be the guiding star of the play industry! Thanks to all who bring play into our lives!