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MESSAGE From the Chair
Wolverine, Chewbacca
and ASTRA
by Michael Levins
W
hat could be better than ASTRA’s 2014 Marketplace and Academy? Sharing ASTRA’s 2014 Marketplace and Academy with the likes of Spiderman, Wonder Woman and Wolverine during Comic-Con. I landed in Phoenix with great anticipation and, as usual, a bit anxious that all would go off as planned. However, upon seeing Chewbacca dressed in full battle gear walking toward the convention center in 112-degree heat, I knew any worries I may have had paled in comparison. As the owner of a small family-owned company, and now the new ASTRA Board chair, I am fortunate to have the opportunity in my job to travel the country and visit with many of our members in their own stores. This provides the best possible context for exploring and exchanging ideas. During these interactions, we speak about the overall state of business, how they are doing as a retailer, what keeps them up at night, and how I can assist in their business lives. Common to all of these visits is the amazing combination of passion, creativity and drive of the owners and their staff. My sense is that these will always be the essential factors required to make any and all retail operations successful, no matter the state of the economy, what new technology exists, or which new competitors pop up on the retailing landscape. As this is my first missive to you, I thought I would lay out some of my goals and aspirations as the board chair. First and foremost, I want to listen. My first boss out of college used to say to me as a newly minted salesperson, “Michael, you have two ears and one mouth, therefore you should listen twice as much as you
speak.” I have found this to be an essential tool in operating my own business. More often than not, your customers will supply you with the answers that you need to be successful. I want to be an expert listener when it comes to you – your thoughts, your needs and how the board can work on your behalf. This applies not only to retailers, but also to our manufacturer and sales representative members as well. Only through an unfettered exchange of ideas can we fully tap into what makes ASTRA truly a great and unique organization. In many respects, you have already spoken and we, the board, have already listened. As you well know, the board has undertaken an exhaustive strategic planning process, and there is now an excellent, forward-thinking plan in place. Once this plan is executed, it will go a long way to ensuring our continued relevance as an industry, positioning ourselves to grow and to prosper well into the future. The board and the permanent ASTRA staff are working diligently to implement this plan, and I am excited to keep you abreast of our progress. Working to execute this plan is my second goal. It is one that I am proud to be a part of, and I look forward to seeing it through to completion. As the old adage goes, there is strength in numbers and working together creates a powerful force for progress. The health of the organization relies on seeking out and attracting new ideas, fresh energy and even brighter outlooks. Therefore, my third goal is to help continue the growth of the association and to attract new members and new strategic partners. My last goal is to increase the overall participation in the workings and programs
of the association. As you can imagine from running your own businesses, there is always more to do than the resources you have at hand to accomplish these tasks. Therefore, every helping hand is needed, and teamwork is essential for success. Please come out and join a committee, volunteer for panel, or simply write on the discussion boards. There is also a host of wonderful programs continually being offered by ASTRA. Your participation is fundamental to our existence and success. Fill in the profit survey, have an event during Neighborhood Toy Store Day, or join a WINS group. The more we work together, interact and exchange, the stronger we become. I look forward to serving you over the next year.
Michael Levins innovativeKids 50 Washington St., Norwalk, CT 06854 (203) 838-6400 Ext. 301 mlevins@innovativekids.com
astratoy.org • August 2014
5
Board of Directors Chair Michael Levins Chair-Elect Dean May Treasurer Lillian Davis
August 2014 • astratoy.org
Secretary Ann Kienzle
16
Features
Directors Bob Breneman Thea Brown Lea Culliton John Giacobbe Tim Holliday John MacDougall Ted McGuire Jeff Pinsker Claudia Towles
MONEY MATTERS 10 12
ASTRA Performance Analysis: How Did You Fare? Best Time to Plan for Retirement? Now!
TOY STORIES 14 16 18
20 21 22
Children’s World Marks 50th Anniversary Facebook and Toy House’s 65 Years Manufacturers Respond with Toys for Kids in Nogales Four Truckloads of Toy Joy Igniting a Firestorm of Great Ideas Innovations Spark Ideas to Imitate
30
Newsletter Editor Mary Sisson Assistant Editors Alyssa LaFaro Tina Manzer
TRENDING NOW 24 26
Graphic Artist Liz Pieniazek
Learning from Arizona Locals Competition + Cooperation = Coopetition
ASTRA Staff
ASTRA NEWS 28 29 30 33
34 35
Technology: ASTRA is Plugging In Kudos to Marketplace Volunteers Award Winners Exude Excellence And the Lifetime Achievement Award Goes to... Ted Kiesewetter Master Minds Meet 2014 Best Toys for Kids Winners
President Kathleen McHugh
35
Departments 5 7 8
Message from the Chair President’s Report Ready, Set, PLAY … for Children with Disabilities
39 ASTRA Welcomes Its Newest Manufacturer Members 42 New Members
ASTRA Newsletter Mission Statement Our mission is to act as a channel of communication for the general membership of ASTRA and to provide information about current happenings and future goals as decided upon by the board of directors, various committees, and ASTRA staff. We strive to provide useful and timely information and support for and about ASTRA members in accordance with the ASTRA mission statement. We are always looking for good articles and input for the newsletter. Letters to the editor are welcome. Please forward letters, comments, ideas, etc., to the ASTRA office – fax 312-222-0986, email kmchugh@astratoy.org.
6 August 2014 • astratoy.org
Associate Director of Meetings and Exhibits Amanda Zawad Associate Program Planner Laura Sweitzer Membership Services Associate Dee Marsden Katie Marso The ASTRA Newsletter is published by the American Specialty Toy Retailing Association, 432 N Clark St., Suite 205, Chicago, IL 60654, 312-222-0984, fax 312-222-0986, email info@astratoy.org. Website: www.astratoy.org. Copyright © 2014 American Specialty Toy Retailing Association. All rights reserved. Advertisements are accepted. For more information, contact Rick Kauder, Fahy-Williams Publishing, 800-344-0559; email rkauder@fwpi.com. All articles for the ASTRA Newsletter are supplied by ASTRA and its members, with Fahy-Williams assembling and editing the newsletter, and managing the advertising sales function. ASTRA reserves the right to accept, reject, or alter all editorial and advertising material submitted for publication. Advertising in ASTRA does not imply endorsement of products and services. Opinions expressed in articles contained herein are those of the authors, not necessarily of ASTRA or its individual members. The information has been obtained from sources believed to be reliable.
PRESIDENT’S Report Involvement of Many Raises Us All by Kathleen McHugh
S
ay goodbye ... to the ASTRA Newsletter. At the June ASTRA Board meeting, Mary Sisson, ASTRA’s newsletter editor, said, “‘Newsletter’ sounds like it is produced on a mimeograph.” What’s a mimeograph, you ask? It’s an outdated, flat, one-dimensional reproduction, and not at all what you find in your mailbox every quarter. The newsletter under Mary’s care has painstakingly developed into a professional magazine for the specialty toy industry. Her original reporting and thoughtful articles provide first-hand inspiration and relevant information about the industry. Tina Manzer – and her team at Fahy-Williams, the company that manages the layout, production and mailing of the newsletter – left her mark as well. She worked closely with us over the years to improve the quality of the paper, the cover photos and the copy layout to give it the truly professional look you see before you. So we are proud to announce that the ASTRA Newsletter is now ASTRA Toy Times Magazine. Our deepest appreciation goes to Mary and Tina for taking us to greater heights in our toy, play and industry reporting. If you have an idea for a story, or would like to contribute an article, please contact Mary at mary@ kazoodlestoys.com. She’s always eager to share news and stories from our members. In June, the ASTRA Board continued to narrow down its next steps on initiatives that came out of strategic planning. Its number-one priority as I write this article is to bring on board a new staff position, director of member relations, to facilitate member collaboration. A task group made up of retailers, manufacturers and sales reps began interviews shortly after returning from convention with the goal to bring on the “right” person by the fall. The “right” person will have an extensive background and working knowledge of the specialty industry and an impeccable reputation among all the member groups, and will already embody our culture of shared collaboration and cooperation. Watch for news of this hiring over the summer. Over the next few months, volunteers and staff will begin work on the next big initiative for the association: creation of new educational and certification programs for the toy industry. To attract the brightest people to the industry and to motivate staff and employees, these programs will help us raise the toy industry to the professional level enjoyed by other industries. And, special play certifications will help our retail members stand out to their customers. Next, we plan to explore your use of and need for technology training and information. In every industry today, the use of
technology is expanding and the need to know and use it is intensifying. We want to know where the industry stands in its use of technology and where it needs to go. Armed with data, we will be able to figure out how to get us all there. In the meantime, watch for a “Technology Survey” created by our very own industry tech wizards John MacDougall and Tom and Claudia Towles. There is much to do and we are fortunate to have many smart, talented people helping us, but as they say, many hands make light work. So we are always eager to welcome more help. If any of these projects sound interesting to you, please contact me. From task groups to committees, we have plenty of projects where you can get involved to benefit the industry. Fresh off the annual convention, I want to thank our amazing staff for their expert delivery of the world-class convention and exhibit hall that we enjoyed in June in Phoenix, Arizona. Amanda Zawad deserves special recognition for all the careful planning and attention to detail she puts into every single aspect of the convention. She is among the best planners I have ever had the pleasure of working with, and she makes working together fun for all of us. Laura Sweitzer, Dee Marsden and Katie Marso rounded out our dream team. From registration to the membership and Best Toys for Kids booth, they could be found smiling, answering questions, and working hard to execute the best convention ever. We have a stellar staff and I am so proud of all they accomplish for ASTRA. Bravo and my sincerest appreciation for all you do! The convention committee, under the guidance of Tami Murphy and Tina Powell, deserve our appreciation for all the hard work they did over the last 12 months to select a challenging agenda with quality speakers and panels. It all works because you work so hard. Congratulations for another great meeting. Summer is here, so it’s time to turn our attention now to getting ready for another successful Neighborhood Toy Store Day on Saturday, November 8. Save the date and watch for more information about tools you can use to make celebrating this day turnkey and fun. Enjoy your summer.
Warm regards, Kathleen McHugh astratoy.org • August 2014
7
READY,forSET, PLAY... Children With Disabilities
The
Milestone
Message
by Ahren Hoffman, Director of Industry Relations & Partnerships, National Lekotek Center, ahoffman@lekotek.org
T
hank you to all who attended the “Navigating to Better Understand the Child with Special Needs” session in the “Valley of the Sun” at ASTRA Marketplace & Academy. National Lekotek Center spokesperson Ellen Metrick presented on developmental milestones and how toys are the building blocks to master those skills. This session armed retailers – and manufacturers – with information and resources to better understand how toys can help children at different ages and stages to reach milestones. Toys are the tools that encourage stages of development and emerging abilities. For those unable to make the session, we encourage you to listen to the audio recording available on astratoy.org in the Resource Library under the “For Members” tab.
What are developmental milestones? Developmental milestones are a set of functional skills or age-specific tasks that most children can do within a certain age range. Milestones are like checkpoints of development – they indicate when a child has crossed a threshold in acquiring a skill and point the child to the next level of development. Although each milestone has a target age range, the actual age when a typically developing child or child with special needs reaches that milestone can vary quite a bit. Every child is unique! The mastery of developmental skills is influenced by toys and play. Play allows children to use their creativity while developing their imagination, dexterity, and physical, cognitive and emotional strength, according to the American Academy of
8 August 2014 • astratoy.org
Pediatrics. Finding toys that engage a child’s interests, abilities and imagination boosts confidence and influences skill development. During Marketplace, we searched to find products that touched on the milestone concept through package inserts, activity guides, icons or QR codes leading to website content. Why is this information important to consumers? Based on a study from The Family Room Strategic Consulting Group, 40 percent of parents are more likely to purchase a product that includes educational and creative value to advance their child’s development. The milestone story does exactly that as parents look for developmental value and kids look for fun. Here are a few products and resources we discovered at ASTRA Marketplace & Academy promoting developmental milestones. • SmartNoggin Toy: NogginStik – Baby’s first learning toy! The NogginStik was designed to encourage early milestones in infants with a focus on visual tracking as the rattle lights up red, blue and green. SmartNoggin Toys also includes a helpful parent guide that includes a milestone checklist. • Plan Toys: PlanAbility Catalog – The PlanAbility Catalog was created to provide an insider’s look behind Plan Toys’ products and share the toys’ developmental milestones that support children in reaching their full potential. • Learning Resources: “Special Needs” Website Section – Learning Resources created a “Special Needs” website section to meet the needs of
special kids. This includes listings of products searchable by skill development or learning style to help consumers find the right product. • Melissa & Doug: Special Needs Toy Guide – Melissa & Doug created this guide to help parents, therapists and educators not only find appropriate toys for children with special needs, but also discover play ideas and gain information on developmental skills inherent within the toys. This information is useful for consumers, but also for retailers to use in helping their sales staff to reach their own developmental milestones by understanding more about the underlying principles of child development and how those principles relate to the products they sell. The milestone concept is a message that is gaining traction with manufacturers who have the foresight to look beyond the play factors of their products into the potential to help kids grow cognitively, physically and emotionally, one step and one toy at a time. Lekotek welcomes any questions from retailers and manufacturers who would like more information on toys and skill development for children of all abilities. Lekotek is a not-for-profit and leading authority on toys and play for children with disabilities. Lekotek is dedicated to providing children of all abilities access to the benefits of play experiences. Visit ableplay.org for a complete listing of toys, and find us on Facebook.
ASTRA
MONEY Matters
ASTRA
Performance Analysis How did you fare?
T
he results are in. ASTRA’s latest profit survey, analyzed by Al Bates and his Profit Planning Group, shows some good news and some bad news. Profits are up, but few are planning for their futures. The survey shows trends in the industry, reflected by the answers of the 103 participants who responded.
The good news “The results are generally positive as overall performance has improved steadily during the time period [from 2009 to 2013],” said Bates in a report to the ASTRA Board. Bottom-line, pre-tax profit for the typical store increased from 1.9 percent in 2009 to 2.3 percent in 2011 and 3.2 percent in 2013. Some of the improvement no doubt reflects an improvement in the economy. But Bates pointed out that at least part of the improvement was
due to management actions, notably sales growth, payroll expenses, visibility expenses and other operating expenses. Sales growth: In 2013 sales growth finally crossed the 5-percent level. This is the minimal level of growth needed so that operating expenses will grow slower than sales, lowering expenses as a percent of sales. Payroll expense: Owners’ compensation as a percent of sales increased, good news since, according to Bates, owners tend to underpay themselves. As of 2013, compensation (distinct from profit) moved above $50,000, similar to compensation for retail managers in national chains. At the same time, employee compensation declined. But sales per employee increased from 2009 to 2013. So did the average transaction, “which tends to provide relief with regard to payroll,” said Bates. Visibility expenses: Rent and advertising combined are the costs of bringing people into a retail store. These combined costs were nearly 15 percent of sales in 2009, but fell to 13 percent in 2013. Attracting customers in a more cost-effective manner is crucial to retail success, Bates pointed out. All other operating expenses: “For most marketing-oriented managers, expense control is viewed as an afterthought,” said Bates. “For driving higher profit levels it is essential.”
The bad news Gross margin shows no real movement since 2009, said Bates. “The toy industry remains highly competitive with challenges from big box stores and Internet retailers. Even so, there are tools at hand with regard to pricing to enhance margins. The fact that margins have not improved is a major disappointment.” Bates’ other concern is benefit plans. “Simply put, ASTRA members are not funding retirement plans,” he said. “It is extremely easy to postpone such funding. However, the later an individual starts funding a retirement program, the more difficult it is to ever catch up. As noted, firms have increased owners’ compensation to desired levels. It is time to bring retirement programs into line as well.” ASTRA
10 August 2014 • astratoy.org
MONEY Matters
Best Time to Plan for Retirement?
NOW! W
hen you’re the business owner, nobody’s going to give you a pension but you. Planning ahead for retirement is an area easy for an entrepreneur to ignore, but in the mind of
12 August 2014 • astratoy.org
Al Bates of the Profit Planning Group, it’s time for ASTRA members to start growing their retirement funds. A financial adviser can help you build the financial plan and investment strategy you need based on your goals. Even the IRS has advice, and it’s free. IRS publication 39980, “Choosing a Retirement Solution for Your Small Business,” found online at dol.gov/ebsa/ publications/choosing.html, is a good place to start. It offers explanations of the various types of retirement savings plans – IRAbased plans, defined contribution plans, and defined benefit plans, including variations. How do you choose the right one for your situation? A chart in the publication helps by comparing key factors such as eligibility, the employer’s role in employee plans, who can contribute, how much, advantages of each and more.
The IRS gives significant tax advantages for retirement plans, both for the business owner and for employees. “Experts estimate that Americans will need 70 to 90 percent of their pre-retirement income to maintain their current standard of living when they stop working,”
the document states. “So now is the time to look into retirement plan programs.” The IRS gives significant tax advantages for retirement plans, both for the business owner and for employees. Employer contributions are deductable from the employer’s income; employee contributions are not taxed until distributed to the employee, with the exception of Roth contributions; and money in the plan grows tax-free. Tax credits are available for small businesses to set up certain types of retirement plans and for qualifying low- and moderate-income workers, including the self-employed, who contribute to their plans. Selling your business may be part of your retirement plan, but without a crystal ball, it’s not a sure thing. Investing a little on a regular basis now is the safest way to take charge of your retirement later. ASTRA
ASTRA
astratoy.org • August 2014
13
TOY Stories
Children’s World Marks
50th Anniversary
F
rom its start as Children’s World Crib & Cradle in 1964, the Sarasota, Florida, store has grown up and diversified for more than 50 years. It started by selling and renting cribs and cradles, and eventually evolved to include fancy dress clothing, “like we all used to wear to church back in the day,” explains owner Tim Holliday. Then came two events that led to what is now Children’s World & Children’s World Uniform Supply. First, a local school asked if they’d be interested in taking over its school uniform program. Then, the local Boy Scout council consolidated with an office more than an hour away. Children’s World began selling Scout uniforms and supplies – and dropped the “Crib & Cradle.” The toy department expanded and the Beanie Baby craze hit. Uniform sales grew as more and more schools were served. Out went the dress-wear. In 2001, the original owners and the Hollidays worked out a plan for the
14 August 2014 • astratoy.org
Hollidays to take over so the original owners could retire. “I came to the store with 20 years of experience in banking, finance and sales, while my wife, Cynthia, had worked in sales, service and training,” says Tim. They grew the number of schools they serve from eight to 30, added school shoes, brought embroidery and eventually digital printing in-house, provided monogramming and work uniforms, added promotional products, and finally, expanded the toy selection. After almost 45 years in the same location, they moved several miles away to a much larger, stand-alone 7,000-square-foot two-story building. “There, we greatly increased our toy offerings, including educational aids and supplies, to a size that is about half of what the entire original store was,” explains Tim. And, both for marketing and for customer convenience, they added a U.S. Post Office unit.
They’ve tried to make every part of the building kid- and family-focused. It starts outside, with metal “tube dudes” in the parking lot and on the building, and a gigantic globe to play off the name. Inside, support beams have been turned into trees, dressing rooms are individual cottages, and a checkout area is a lemonade stand backed with a mural of children playing outside. Celebrating their 50th anniversary July 12, they threw a big in-store play day. Live radio broadcasts, a special broadcast from the talk radio hosts of “Parenting on Purpose,” and the local mommy magazine put the Children’s World name out there. What would Holliday tell others who want to hit 50 years? “Always look for opportunities to expand your business with related, or even unrelated, products and services. When you look at our store, we really operate five or six different businesses that could operate on their own, but tie in nicely with each other. “While looking to add products and services, be aware of ones that you should get out of as well, and do that where it makes sense to,” he adds. “Set up your store with processes and procedures so that the store can run without you. Having these kinds of systems in place is the only way that you can really work on the bigger picture of your business, whether planning for a big event, or meeting with accountants and others who can help you transition the business to someone else when you’re ready to ride into the sunset and take more than a few weeks off.” Not many do this, he says, which is a big reason many stores can’t get out of the ruts they’re in, or why the end of the road for them is just closing their store instead of making money from it by selling it to someone else. ASTRA
CREATIVE
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TOY Stories The original Toy House in the early 1950s
Facebook and
Toy House’s 65 Years
W
hen Toy House and Baby Too in Jackson, Michigan, turned 65 this year, owner Phil Wrzesinski, grandson of the founders, employed a medium never dreamed of in 1949: Facebook. “The night before the anniversary I posted the original store back in the winter of 1950, shortly after our first Christmas,” he says. “The store opened May 23, 1949, when my grandparents bought this house on the outskirts of downtown in an area that
The second – and current – location in the early 1960s
was zoned residential/ commercial. There was a small grocery store across the street. “My grandfather had done the research on birth rates, home purchases, income and educational levels before buying the house. His main goal was to have a business no one had to go to, just that they wanted to go to. They turned the downstairs into selling, the upstairs into offices, and the basement was for storage.” That photo got more than 4,500 views (and Toy House only had about 3,000 fans at the time). Few people would remember the store as it was then because of multiple additions. The second photo shows Toy House from the mid-’50s to 1967, when it moved to its current location. Phil posted photos from Toy House history all day May 23. “The response was tremendous! Every picture had multiple shares and comments, including former employees talking about the life lessons and work lessons they learned working at Toy House. Every picture had at least 1,000 views. Most had 2,000 to 2,500 views. We even had a few comments from old customers who had moved out of town and were pleasantly surprised to find out we’re still around.” The outpouring from the community didn’t stop with Facebook. “More importantly, people came in the store. They signed our guestbook, brought us flowers, and wished us well. We gave away cookies and prizes all day long in the store and basked in the joy of the day.” ASTRA
16 August 2014 • astratoy.org
TOY Stories
Manufacturers Respond with Toys for Kids in Nogales
W
hile ASTRA members in Phoenix focused on ways to grow their businesses and buying or selling the year’s best toys, something very different was going on in another part of Arizona. Over that same weekend, hundreds of unaccompanied migrant children were taken to a holding station in Nogales, Arizona’s largest international border town. In what the Obama administration termed a “humanitarian crisis,” a surge of 47,000 children since October has streamed across the border in recent months. Seeking refuge from violence, gangs and poverty in Mexico, Honduras, Guatemala and El Salvador, the number is up 92 percent from a year ago, according to customs officials. A story in the Los Angeles Times said the surge is fueled by a rumor running through Central America that parents with children would be allowed to stay in the U.S. indefinitely. A push of a hotel TV “on” button brought this story home to Marketplace attendees, and at the close of the show, a couple of manufacturers wondered what they could do to help. They put out the word to their peers, and soon Cole Larner of Monkey Business Sports headed to Nogales with a large van full of donated hula hoops, balls, puzzles, dolls, origami sets, art supplies and other toys that didn’t require reading English, plus bilingual books. “It took a bit, but after locating the facility and driving to the gate, the CBP (Customs and Border Patrol) agent indicated that there were presently about 750 kids inside their facility,” Larner said. “The agent indicated that he had been inside the facility earlier in the day, and all he could find was a rubber glove to blow up to keep a 3-year-old girl amused.” Once he got approval from a CBP captain, Larner drove the van in and started unloading. In about 15 minutes the toys were on their way from being show demos to valuable playthings. ASTRA
18 August 2014 • astratoy.org
TOY Stories
Igniting a of Great Ideas Y
ou’ve only got three minutes to finish this sentence: “The best idea I ever had for my business was...” What would you share? The fun, fast-paced format of the brand new “Ignite Learning – Best Business Innovations” session at this year’s Marketplace & Academy in Phoenix highlighted the best business ideas from retailers, manufacturers and sales representatives. Here are a few ideas that were shared.
®
The NogginStik Developmental Rattle
I listened to my foot soldiers (my sales reps) that are out in the field talking to and interacting with the retailer each and every day. Oftentimes, manufacturers can’t empathize with the sales rep and they think the worst instead of trying to put themselves in their shoes, and instead asking the tougher question of “What am I as a manufacturer doing or not doing to make it easier for the retailer to order my products?” – Lea Culliton, HABA USA I went on a road tour with my reps. I got a firsthand look at what my reps do, where they travel, how long they drive, how well they communicate with their stores and the value they bring to their accounts. – Christine Blumberg, Roberts Blumberg Corp. Combining services with my retail store – classes, parties and an art studio – provides repeat customers with a reason to come in and eliminates the seasonal cash-flow challenges. People might not buy as many toys in January, but they still celebrate birthdays! – Amy Saldanha, kiddywampus The Toy Tester Event – getting a group of businesses together that would love to share their clientele with Kidstop. With them we coordinate pooling our resources together for advertising purposes. We hire a PR firm for posters and bookmarks, and partner with our local parenting magazine. We coordinate with the City of Scottsdale (we have to get a permit), and block off two-thirds of the parking lot and go outside and play. We average more than 2,000 people a year. –Kate Tanner, Kidstop
574-612-5292 smartnoggintoys.com 20 August 2014 • astratoy.org
Learning my core values. Once I had identified the four core values around which the business is built – fun, education, helpfulness and nostalgia – then I had a guide for every single decision we make. Is it fun? Is it educational? Does it help someone? Is it nostalgic? If the answer is “yes,” then we proceed. If what we are thinking of doing doesn’t promote those
TOY Stories
Innovations
Ideas to Imitate
H
ere are a few of the 120 ideas offered around the tables at the “Ignite Learning – Best Business Innovations” session, when ASTRA members were asked to share their best ideas. Thanks to moderator Idanna Smith for compiling the list.
Events • Have a game night in a local nursing home. • Host private shopping nights in November. • Offer a yo-yo workshop three days a week. The best participants become the yo-yo champs. This brought 500 participants to one store. • Story times with a theme, such as sign language, princess or messy art.
Personnel • Include staff members to pick the top items that will sell in a season; then have a pre-pick challenge on what will sell and get points based on sales. The top salesperson wins money. • No one is allowed to pass on a problem. The employee needs to handle the problem and communicate with the customer in a timely manner. • Use a sales rep for training. • Market your business to your staff. Make them feel like owners.
Sales and marketing • Use a Cricut machine to personalize and add names to products. Personalized products don’t get returned! • Exhibit toy lines at childcare conferences. Reach parents and educators while selling cash and carry, and give a return coupon valid only in the store. • Refer-a-friend credit: $5 in-store credit for referring a friend who has never shopped in the store before, and the new customer gets 10 percent off the purchase. • Sponsor a kids’ art gala opening as part of an art walk, offering 10 percent off all sales.
Collaboration • Make demo games available to schools. • Give a percentage to a local charity if customers pay with cash or check. Poker chips moved from one jar to another symbolize participation. • Partner with a local children’s theater to host a meet-and-greet of cast characters. • Partner with a bank. When kids open an account they get $5 in educational bucks.
22 August 2014 • astratoy.org
Customer Service • Be there in the moment. Be present and listen carefully. Sometimes take a deep breath before starting to establish a relationship. If you are involved and listening, the customer feels you are interested. • Put photos of kids and customers on the wall behind the counter. • You can’t be everything to everyone. Sometimes you have to let a customer go. • Reps have complete knowledge of their companies’ products and can set up a presentation for each customer that matches their store.
Store ideas • Make a positive from a negative. Street construction? Set up the front window as a view area, with hard hats and big trucks. • Pick a few departments and make real statements. • Hang a branch in the middle of the store to hang monkeys, snakes and umbrellas. • Focus on a theme or single idea for the store. When people come in, they have an immediate reaction or feel to the store. One store uses nostalgia, so they mix old vintage in to decorate for different eras.
General • Make everything you do as simple as possible. • As a manufacturer, when undertaking a project, whether a new product or new marketing guide, look at how it impacts all constituencies – retailers, reps, consumers and staff members. • Manufacturers: Don’t let your business be too narrow. Get the right people to help you diversify. Create systems and processes and measurements. Focus and never settle for second best. • Retailers: Don’t be afraid to try new things. ASTRA
For Orders: Email: orders@alexbrandsMI.com Fax: 734-454-9540 Phone: 800-329-TOYS
a lex
b r a n d s .c o m
TRENDING Now
Learning from Arizona
Locals
I
n “The Upside of a Down Economy” at the convention in Phoenix, founder and director Kimber Lanning of Local First Arizona (LFA) stressed job creation. LFA’s purpose is to inform, motivate and encourage consumers to support the local economy. But its work reaches far beyond sending customers to local boutiques. With one in seven Americans on food assistance, the wealth gap is widening, Lanning said. “We are in the driver’s seat.” Some 75 percent of consumers report thinking about buying locally, she said. “Small businesses are job creators.” In the U.S.: • 250 new bookstores have opened since 2009, • 4,700 farmers markets have opened since 2002, • 112,000 new farms have started since 2007, and • 7 million people moved their money from big banks.
to go to the lowest d Now that limit has moved to bid. $50,000, and any bid under that amount goes to a database populated only with Arizona companies. Lanning used coffee shops as an example of the multiplier effect. She showed a slide with 15 Starbucks logos on the left and the logos of 15 independent coffee shops on the right. “How many accountants, attorneys, web developers, payroll services, etc., have jobs because Starbucks is here?” With 30,000 Starbucks locations, there’s one accounting firm, one payroll firm, one graphic design firm. The independents, on the other hand, use local talent for all of those functions. “Presidents don’t create jobs, people do,” she said. “For every two jobs big box creates, three local jobs will be lost.” Here’s a list of jobs per 10 million dollars in sales, according to a study by Civic Economics. • Amazon: 14 • Chain retailers: 50 • Independent retailers: 110
“Big business is creating jobs in other countries. G.E. hasn’t created an American job in 30 years,” Lanning said. “If small business was laying off people at the same rate as big business, we’d have 950,000 fewer jobs in America today.” She cited an economic study in Arizona done when the state was looking at an office supply contract. With locally owned Wist Office Products, 33 percent of the investment would stay in the local economy; with Office Max, 11.6 percent; and with Staples it was miniscule. Wist paid its employees’ health insurance, while 63 percent of Staples’ employees were on state-run health programs. “You could spend $5 million with Staples and have no local impact,” Lanning said. “You’re spending more by going with the lowest price.” Indeed, the City of Phoenix has changed its procurement procedures, which used to require that any contract over $5,000 had
24 August 2014 • astratoy.org
Getting this message across to consumers is the challenge of independents. Lanning told of a woman, married to a firefighter, who was buying everything for an event on Amazon. Lanning couldn’t stop herself from commenting: “You’re consciously deciding not to pay into the coffers that fund your husband’s salary.” She calls such instances broken social contracts. In another example, the owner of a local grocery store, hugely generous in the community, offered to supply all the food for the funeral of a local man, but apologized to his widow that he couldn’t supply the drinks. “No problem,” she said. “I’ll just go to Costco.” Lanning urged attendees to go back to their hometowns and work on “Shift the Way You Shop” campaigns. “$460 billion was spent last holiday season,” she said. “What if that was spent in a ASTRA way that would create jobs?”
TRENDING Now
Competition + Cooperation =
COOPETITION by Mary Sisson, editor
I
t’s the name of a best-selling business book. It’s a tack that’s taken the “buy local” movement to a new level. And it’s one of the top priorities as ASTRA moves ahead with strategic planning initiatives. The word? Coopetition. Wikipedia tells us the idea has been around since 1913. It’s had different iterations in the worlds of business, politics, gaming and more. It was the focus of a 1996 book, Co-Opetition: A Revolution Mindset That Combines Competition and Cooperation by Adam Bradenburger and Barry Nalebuff, describing some of the roles and terms that might be helpful in understanding your company’s position as you interact with your competitors and others, such as suppliers and customers. Here’s the concept: When companies work together, they can achieve more success than they ever could working alone. Together, they can create a much larger and more valuable market than they could individually. This is the very reason ASTRA founder Chris Wass started the association, pointed out Peter Reynolds of Juratoys US Corp. in a discussion board conversation that popped up while this story was in progress. In order for specialty toy stores and the specialty trade to survive, agreed Kevin McGrath of The Original Toy Company in that same discussion, “everyone must collectively work together for that survival. The original meaning of ASTRA was to simply do that and bring all sides together – manufacturers, sales reps, retailers – and to work together to strive for common goals and the survival of the specialty toy trade.” ASTRA right now is in the process of finding the right person to fill a new staff position, director of member relations, as a liaison focused on our shared culture of collaboration and cooperation, points out Kathleen McHugh in her president’s column. “To remain viable, the specialty industry has to step up its game and offer consumers truly special toys, provide top-notch service, become a partner with their community,” said Lillian Davis, ASTRA Board treasurer and sales representative. “Each player (rep, vendor and retailer) needs to find new and better
26 August 2014 • astratoy.org
ways to work together and resolve conflicts, hence the liaison position. Each player needs to step up their game with technology and education, hence the academy and technology goals.” The blurring of lines between specialty and mass; online cutrate competitors; competition between retailers and the vendors who sell their products online at reduced prices; and consumers’ changing shopping habits bring mutual concerns to every level of the industry. If we need to unite with an “us versus them” attitude, there’s no lack of “thems.” How can you embrace the idea of coopetition? First, challenge the idea that your success must come at others’ expense. In local movements, businesses that band together to promote shopping locally raise the flag for all independent businesses. Auto malls expand customers’ options when many dealers group together, often with complementary businesses,
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such as banks, nearby. Realtors’ multiple listing services have much farther reach than each individual broker could. Specialty toy stores can do the same. Debora Smith of Toys That Teach gives Richmond, Virginia, as an example. “The three independent (toy) stores in Richmond are ASTRA members, and if we don’t have something, we call one of the other two to see if they have it. We work closely together and refer customers all the time, and it makes a huge impression on the customer.â€? Sales rep Sue WarďŹ eld, who started the discussion board thread, said, “My own personal wish and dream is that all specialty, independently owned stores would work more toward seeing themselves as a ‘chain.’ In that, I mean that when a customer can’t immediately get what they were looking for in your store, you refer them to check at other independent stores. “I realize this is harder for some as you don’t want to send your customers to a ‘competitor,’ but in reality, the customer may end up going to a big box store or the Internet and just getting something there. If they are satisďŹ ed with that experience, they may not come back. However, if we send them to another independent, I believe it makes them remember us all as ‘full service and problem solvers’ and they will return!â€? One small store or manufacturer is not likely to be all things to all customers. We provide our customers and suppliers with greater opportunities when they don’t have to choose just one. “While the specialty toy industry may be relatively small, the impact we have is far-reaching,â€? commented Erik Quam of Fat Brain Toys. “Working together for the betterment of our community should be a priority. Sure, there’s always going to be competition, but fostering a relationship of ‘friendly’ competition can be incredibly beneďŹ cial, not to mention professionally healthy. “A conversation with a ‘competitor’ doesn’t have to mean you’re revealing your deepest trade secrets. Instead, view it as an opportunity to learn (not necessarily change) how things can be done differently. It’s also a great way to keep your ďŹ nger on the pulse of our constantly changing industry.â€? As ASTRA treasurer, Lillian Davis did the math. “By working together, rather than separately, we gain so much more than each recreating the wheel, or not even knowing what the wheel is. Two plus two equals more than four when we work together to offer the consumer a unique and rewarding experience.â€?
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astratoy.org • August 2014
27
News
Technology ASTRA is plugging in
by John MacDougall
R
ecently, the city of San Francisco was fighting with the developer of a new app that allows drivers to “sell” their street parking spaces as soon as they vacate them. Sure, it’s not a toy issue, but it illustrates the ever-evolving bag of tricks that technology provides. You might think of it as more of a Pandora’s box, but this is the technology most Americans are now carrying in their pockets and purses. As part of the strategic plan that was developed this year, the ASTRA Board has targeted technology use as an important factor in helping our members thrive. The board has formed a new committee to investigate technologies that help us learn, manage and compete. Not everyone in our industry is computerized. Not everyone spends their days staring at a screen, or wishes to, but many of
28 August 2014 • astratoy.org
the most agile retailers use all the technology available – and some of those retailers are competing with us! The new ASTRA Technology Committee will be gathering ideas and suggestions from membership and then working through ASTRA to provide informational exchanges – perhaps even a chance to try out new technologies at Marketplace. We hope to let members share the programs, apps and devices that are helping them grow their businesses. Using our collective resources to sift through all the options would be a valuable benefit of ASTRA membership – and there may even be an app that helps us do it! If you are interested in being part of the technology committee, contact Dee Marsden in the ASTRA office at 312-222-0984. ASTRA
News
Kudos to
Marketplace Volunteers
T
hey planned and prepped the top-notch educational sessions and social events. They masterfully moderated sessions and introduced keynote speakers with wit, humor and charm. They greeted you at the door with a smile and a warm welcome, and generously shared their industry knowledge during the breakout sessions. They gave their time and energy to make sure this year’s Marketplace & Academy really was the gathering of the specialty toy industry. Who are we talking about? We’re talking about the incredible team of ASTRA volunteers! As a small staff team, the ASTRA staff is fully aware that without our amazing member volunteers it would be hard to pull off an event like Marketplace & Academy. Thank you! A special thanks to the convention committee for their countless hours brainstorming, researching, and planning every last detail to ensure ASTRA’s 2014 Marketplace & Academy was the best yet! Through the committee’s thoughtful insight, expertise and time, we were able to create a collaborative environment for specialty toy retailers offering support, education and research to grow the industry. We are truly honored to work with each and every one of you, and thank you very much for your commitment to ASTRA and the specialty toy industry.
Tina Manzer, edplay magazine, Geneva, NY Kathy Pirtle, Singer/Son & Associates, Delaware, OH Stewart Rosenberg, Artist Point Giftwrap, Pennsauken, NJ Idanna Smith, The Good Toy Group, Peace Dale, RI Iris Solomon, WABA Fun LLC, Broomfield, CO Makya Vandiver-Hawkins, Smarty Pants Kids LLC, Eden Prairie, MN Candace Williams, The Toy Maven, Dallas, TX Susan Young, Miniland Educational, Miami FL ASTRA
2014 Convention Committee Tami Murphy, Chair, The Haywire Group, Springfield, MA Christina Powell, Co-chair, G Willikers, Sarasota Springs, NY Tim Holliday, board liaison, Children’s World & Children’s World Uniform Supply, Sarasota, FL Joe Balcuk, RoosterFin Inc., Moriches, NY Bill Bordegon, The Orb Factory, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada Nicole Bortnick, BGN Sales Group, Chicago, IL Reid Campbell, Creative Education of Canada Inc., Point Edward, Ontario, Canada Jay Chanthalangsy, PlanToys Inc., Union City, CA Deborah Desorbo, Geppetto’s Toys, Woodbury, CT
astratoy.org • August 2014
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News
Award Winners
Exude Excellence
W
hat is excellence? In the case of the ASTRA Excellence Award winners, excellence is the example they set for fellow manufacturers, retailers and sales reps. Hearing their stories, it’s easy to see why these are toy people to emulate.
Manufacturer: Crazy Aaron’s Puttyworld, Narberth, Pennsylvania A “meaningful surprise” is how Crazy Aaron Muderick described the manufacturer award. “I feel like I’ve poured my heart and soul into making putty, which is crazy.” But presenter Gwen Ottenberg and nominator Erin Blanton didn’t think it was so crazy. Blanton lauded Crazy Aaron for creating a product and a company she loves, especially the ASTRA-exclusive Northern Lights putty that was highly sought by her customers. “They ship quickly and (generally) complete. They introduce new items often, keeping the customers coming back for more. They are friendly to work with, and their floor-standing display introduced in 2013 helped increase sales.” Employing adults with special needs to manufacture the putty, providing those individuals with work they can be proud of, raises the company’s ranking for both Ottenberg Crazy Aaron Muderick and presenter and Blanton. Gwen Ottenberg play with putty. Ottenberg had been in the running for “Woman of the Year” through the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, a title she won by raising the most money. “The very first person to put a donation in my campaign is Crazy Aaron,” she said.
“Did I mention it’s made in Philadelphia?” she added. “That’s in the United States.” Sales Representative: Sue Warfield, Retail Specialties, Ely, Minnesota Makya Vandiver-Hawkins of Smarty Pants Kids in Eden Prairie, Minnesota, calls Sue Warfield the “busiest person I know.” She doesn’t just make contact for a show, but stays in touch all year. “She replies not in a timely manner, but immediately.” Warfield takes the time to truly know her toys and her products, and she’ll make the time to come to customers’ stores to teach games or do events. “As reps, we’re definitely the conduit between the manufacturers we rep and the retailers,” Warfield said. “In the end, it is retailers’ success Sue Warfiled, described as “the that is everyone’s bottom busiest person I know,” stands still line. Only when we’re all for a moment. working together can we be successful and grow.” Retailer (tie): Top Ten Toys, Seattle, Washington Owner Allen Rickert, whose sister started Top Ten Toys 27 years ago, gave much credit to Kathy Dockstader for the store’s success. While seven people on the staff order, Kathy’s the dominant buyer. “Kathy and her staff know their stuff! They know their customer base, and they also know the manufacturers they buy from. I know of no other toy store that is capable of matching a customer with a product like Top Ten Toys in Seattle,” said Brian Turtle of Endless Games, who nominated the store. “Kathy lives by the credo of ‘All attitudes are contagious.’” (continued on page 32)
30 August 2014 • astratoy.org
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(continued from page 30) Christine Osborne is known for giving back to the Charleston community.
Alan Rickerts and Kathy Dockstader of Seattle’s Top Ten Toys.
“It’s critically important to this industry that we all collaborate,” Rickert said. “We all promote the same independent brands. It’s critical that we support manufacturers and reps by carrying as many of the independent brands as possible.” Retailer (tie): Wonder Works, Charleston, South Carolina “Wonder Works does it all,” said Kim Freeman of Diverse Marketing, who nominated the store. Owner Christine Osborne “works tirelessly and with great enthusiasm to give back to the community.”
32 August 2014 • astratoy.org
And when the community comes to them, “They provide products and services to the cities they serve, but do it with so much more enthusiasm and joy than most retailers,” Freeman said. “Christine and her staff work tirelessly to make sure they provide an ‘experience’ for their customers.” “Magic really does happen in our industry,” Osborne said. “We really do make the world a better place. Without us, the world would be a little bit grayer. With us, the world is a lot brighter.” The children we serve are the children who will lead us in the future, she pointed out. “You’re actually helping mold them into who they’re going to be in the future.” ASTRA
News
And the Lifetime Achievement Award Goes to...
Ted Kiesewetter T
he late Fred Rogers, known to generations of children as television’s neighborly Mr. Rogers, once said, “Anyone who does anything to help a child in his life is a hero to me.” Mr. Rogers would find plenty of heroes in the roster of specialty toy industry professionals that ASTRA has honored over the years. At its 2014 Marketplace & Academy in Phoenix, Arizona, Ted Kiesewetter was recognized with ASTRA’s top honor: the 2014 Lifetime Achievement Award. He joins an august group of previous honorees who represent a who’s who of the specialty toy industry, including Peter Reynolds, Deb McCollister, John Lee, Phyllis Brody, Jamie Seeley-Kriesman, Terry Gannon and Idanna Smith. What makes all these toy industry leaders so special, and the many others who have been recognized by ASTRA, is their unwavering commitment to ASTRA’s mission: to promote the growth of the toy industry by delivering products that serve children’s best interests. Thanks to his long toy career – most of it at the helm of International Playthings Inc., which he founded with a partner in 1967 – there isn’t much about the emergence of the specialty toy industry that Kiesewetter didn’t witness firsthand. He remembers a time when there was very little interest in quality developmental toys, and imported Euro brands that would be equivalent to today’s specialty play products were sold in higher end toy stores like FAO Schwarz or upscale department stores like Macy’s, B. Altman and Gimbels. Kiesewetter credits women for the launch of many early specialty toy shops that have grown into today’s ASTRA retailer network. Retail provided an outlet for women who wanted to continue their successful business careers, but have more control over their schedules while raising children; and products that were both fun and developmental were a fit for their interests. Kiesewetter and other manufacturers supported this growing channel with innovative product, which, in IPI’s case, was stored in a “warehouse” (the basement in his home) and was sold as he crisscrossed the country by car to build a distribution channel from scratch.
Beau James, left, presents the ASTRA Lifetime Achievement Award to his longtime friend Ted Kiesewetter.
(continued on page 34) astratoy.org • August 2014
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(continued from page33)
News It should come as no surprise that Kiesewetter was an enthusiastic supporter of building an association that became the American Specialty Toy Retailing Association. Early on, he served on the board of directors and helped to conceptualize the marketplace and academy approach to ASTRA’s signature event of the year. “It was extremely important to me as a manufacturer to interface with retailers in a neutral environment,” says Kiesewetter of his years on the ASTRA Board. “It gave me a lot of insight about what retailers need, and the networking was invaluable.” Kiesewetter notes that ASTRA’s Lifetime Achievement Award is particularly meaningful to him. “I have been fortunate to receive a number of awards in my career,” he admits. “But I cannot think of another organization I am so honored to get an award from, because this award is given with sincerity, an emotional attachment to a recipient the organization has known for many years, and no ulterior motives. That spontaneity reflects ASTRA’s integrity and true commitment to its mission.” In presenting the Lifetime Achievement Award to Kiesewetter, Beau James noted, “Ted has always been a steadfast supporter of the specialty retailer. He saw the importance of a strong brand, and he built one for the long term.” This is true for International Playthings, which continues to develop creative products that focus on what the child can do with the toy rather than what the toy itself can do, and it is true for Kiesewetter’s contribution to establishing ASTRA as a meaningful, enduring organization that evolves along with its members’ businesses. With this award, ASTRA thanks Ted Kiesewetter for his many years of leadership and support, for being part of the ASTRA family, and for making a difference for generations of children for whom his products have brought hours of good, healthy, memory-making fun. ASTRA
34 August 2014 • astratoy.org
Master Minds Meet F
or retailers experienced enough to teach ASTRA Academy sessions instead of take them, this year’s convention offered something new: the first-ever Master Class. Sixteen veteran retailers met with a moderator for half a day, discussing topics they had previously identified as important to their stores. “For me, the Master Class was networking on steroids,” commented Phil Wrzesinski of Toy House and Baby Too in Jackson, Michigan. “It was too short to accomplish much, but the introductions and the sharing and the professionalism gave me inspiration and have left me craving more.” “The time flew by as we got to know each other better on a professional level,” said Debbie Scholl of FUNdamentally Toys! in Houston. “We all have successful businesses that operate in unique and different ways. There was really not enough time to be truly productive, but we were able to develop a good rapport for moving forward as a group.” Initially, participants were asked to identify the single biggest business challenge they face. While many challenges were common to all, each participant took the time to offer up a unique challenge and a master list was compiled. From there the group established a priority ranking, with growing the business, operating efficiencies and marketing coming out on top. In a roundtable format, as topics were presented, each person offered an example or idea. Others asked questions and sought clarification. “Everyone came away with a few new ideas, but for the most part, this session was just the ice
breaker,” said Todd Andersen of Hub Hobby in Minnesota’s Twin Cities area. “The most valuable takeaway was the creation and connection of the group itself. Most, if not all of the retailers, are planning to continue to network together and hope to meet a couple of times a year with the objective of sharing their ideas and expertise with each other, as well as developing actionable strategies that could be utilized by other ASTRA retailers as well.”
“It was too short to accomplish much, but the introductions and the sharing and the professionalism gave me inspiration and have left me craving more.”
Participants are trying to coordinate meeting at the ABC Show in September. Scholl has attended ASTRA conventions since the second one, and while she finds most sessions informative, most cover things she already knows. “Hopefully the Master Class will give us a forum to eventually create something like a Mastermind group where you can really make some serious breakthroughs with community input and support.” “I feel like I have found a peer group that can truly understand my challenges in this business,” Wrzesinksi said. “There were hundreds of years of experience in the group, which gave me confidence that I can bounce ideas off them and get solid feedback.” ASTRA
News
2014 Best Toys For Kids ACTIVE PLAY
CHOOSE YOUR OWN CATEGORY
CLASSIC PLAY 3 TO 7 YEARS
Teeter Popper Fat Brain Toy Co. Mini Micro Classic Kickboard Scooter Micro Kickboard
Sands Alive! Deluxe Set Play Visions Inc.
Slack Blox Brand 44 Colorado
CLASSIC C SS C PLAY 8-PLUS YEARS Simon Basic Fun, Division of The Bridge Direct Distributed by Schylling
CONSTRUCTIVE PLAY CONS Architetrix Constructor Set Hape Remote Control Machines DLX Thames & Kosmos
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2014 Best Toys for Kids
CREATIVE ARTS PLAY
Grow ’n Glow Terrarium Creativity for Kids
LoopDeLoom – Weaving Loom Kit Ann Williams Group
GAME PLAY 8-PLUS YEARS
EARLY PLAY pipSquigz Fat Brain Toy Co.
Gravity Maze ThinkFun
Roller Derby Hape H
GAME PLAY 3-7 YEARS
LLEARNING EARNIN PLAY Robot Turtles ThinkFun
Timeline – American History Asmodee Editions
Peek-A-Doodle-Doo Fat Brain Toy Co.
KEVA Brain Builders MW Wholesale/ MindWare
(continued on page 38)
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Welcomes Its Newest Manufacturer Members 4D Cityscape Inc. Gormley, Ontario, Canada 4dcityscape.com 4D Cityscape has revolutionized the puzzle market with its patented multi-layer history over time puzzles. Construct the skylines of some of the greatest cities on the planet layer-by-layer, piece-by-piece. Forever changing the landscape of how puzzles are played, 4D Cityscape are the only puzzles that teach history, geography and architecture. BAXBO Logan, Utah BAXBO is dedicated to providing fresh, innovative, outrageous games. Roll the dice with the word race game, XOOM CUBES. Outsmart, out-maneuver and outlast the opponent before it all comes crashing down with SLAPDASH, or kick it up a notch with tummple! and sabotage your friends. BAXBO – where the unthinkable begins. Big Mouth Toys Glastonbury, Connecticut bigmouthtoys.com Big Mouth Toys is a boutique designer and manufacturer of creative, humorous, and exclusive gag gifts and novelty toys, including the infamous Toilet Bowl Mug and best-selling Wine Bottle Glass. Find Big Mouth Toys in novelty/gift shops, party/toy stores, catalogs, online and wherever super-funny things are sold! Bizainy Los Angeles, California bizainy.com Time-honored activities like holding a lemonade stand, charity bake sale and babysitting are more engaging than ever with Activity Kits from Bizainy, toymaker of timeless, hands-on family fun that empowers kids with business and money management life skills to thrive.
B-Strong LLC Boca Raton, Florida bstrongbrand.com B-Strong Brand’s “Addie B. Strong” is a collaboration of author/ entrepreneur Alyson Flippo and artist Kathleen Willer. The first in the series of children’s picture books, Addie B. Strong – I Am So Strong, is also sold in a personalize-able gift tote that includes an Addie doll. For parents and guardians seeking to counteract the negative messages children are inundated with, Addie B. Strong offers a hopeful tale of inspiration. Crayola Easton, Pennsylvania crayola.com Crayola LLC is the worldwide leader in children’s creative expression products. Known for the iconic Crayola crayon first introduced in 1903, the Crayola brand has grown into a portfolio of innovative art tools, crafting activities and creativity toys that offer children innovative new ways to use color to create everything imaginable. Crayon Rocks Hestand, Kentucky crayonrocks.net Crayon Rocks are crayons shaped like a tumbled rock specially designed for young children to develop the tripod grip muscles so important for pen and pencil use. Made in the USA with Kentucky grown soy wax and richly pigmented mineral powders, Crayon Rocks are ASTM 4236 and CPSIA compliant, vegan and eco-friendly. Duarte PaperArt Sacramento, Callifornia duartepaperart.com Duarte PaperArt is a winner of the 2012 Parents’ Choice Silver Toy Award. The animals are made using recycled paper and vegetable inks. The product is designed and manufactured 100 percent in the U.S. These beautiful paper art kits stimulate imagination and inspire creativity with simple step-by-step instructions.
Goldbrick Games LLC New Ipswich, New Hampshire goldbrickgames.com Goldbrick Games is a family owned company that creates games for people who love to play them. Our line includes Rumble Pie, Perpetual Commotion and our upcoming release, Skosh, the teamplay trivia game for people who have more fun figuring it out than knowing it all.
Growth Icon LLC Sparks, Nevada MoGee is the perfect motorized building set for ages 5-plus. It’s educational, exciting, helps develop creativity, and offers endless variations for children to create. MoGee is designed to encourage children to use their imagination, work on fine motor skills, practice hand/eye coordination and boost developmental skills. Lenmark Toys Los Angeles, California Lenmark Toys, manufacturer of the MyBeltz play and display accessory system, allows girls and boys to play, display and travel with a variety of fashion dolls and action figures such as Barbie and Bratz. MyBeltz is patent-pending. Visit us at Toy Fair 2015 in New York. For inquiries, contact Lenny Gilbert at lenny@lenmarktoys.com. Lightsuits Unionville, Ontario, Canada lightsuits.com LightSuits are the world’s first and only customizable, glow-in-the-dark costume for kids and adults. Each kit contains a reusable black jumpsuit and self-adhering glow sticks to create your own designs. Great for Halloween, parties, sporting events, music festivals and so much more!
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ASTRA Welcomes Its Newest Manufacturer Members Lulu Jr. Raleigh, North Carolina lulujr.com Lulu Jr. allows children to become published authors, encouraging creativity, strengthening literacy and building self-esteem. With the award-winning IlluStory, My Comic Book and My Awesome Book, children can become true authors and artists. With nearly 100,000 children’s books available, Lulu Jr. is the ideal destination for young writers and readers. Mini-Play Makeup Inc. Burley, Idaho miniplaymakeup.com Mini-Play Makeup is pretend makeup for girls ages 3 to 8 that offers a realistic makeup experience without the mess. Mini-Play Makeup is 100 percent fake and will not transfer color or substance to the skin. This line of play makeup looks and feels just like mommy’s, offering hours of imaginative play time.
Piyo Piyo USA Irvine, California piyopiyousa.com Named after the sound of a duckling, Piyo Piyo manufactures innovative and safe baby essentials. Founded by husband and wife William and Annie, this second-generation family operated business has been creating quality parenting solutions since 1988. Poketti LLC Palo Alto, California poketti.com Poketti Plushies with a Pocket, designed by a 14-year-old young entrepreneur, are professionally sewn, soft plush animal pillows with crisp cotton fabric detailing. The useful pocket on the back holds a phone, notebook, tooth fairy offerings or other small treasures. Poketti Series1 includes a penguin, bunny, puppy and kitty.
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Realtimes Products LLC Dorset, Vermont themultiples.com We believe by bringing fun, social engagement and imagination to multiplication learning, we help children overcome learning barriers. The Multiples encourages a storytelling culture within the home and community to promote multiplication literacy in children. Using proprietary diverse and multi-national animal characters, we transform lifestyle products into unique social learning tools to bring fun and learning into the everyday lives of children.
Serranoventions – Canoodle Miami, Florida serranoventions.com Canoodle Toy is a line of construction toys and ready-to-play sword handles made in the USA. It is a fun and innovative product that enables kids to build amazing pool noodle structures, such as forts, rafts, boats and much more. It entertains children’s imaginations, and encourages their ideas visually while improving their motor skills. Snapo San Diego, California snapo.com Snapo is an educational toy building block made in the USA that snaps together on all sides for fun, fast, creative building. The all new patented connection system allows blocks to snap, slide and rotate for omni-directional building. Snapo blocks also produce a sound similar to bubble wrap – they pop when connected. Squirrel King Enterprises LLC Los Angeles, California squirrelking.org Squirrel King Craft Kits come housed in a giant acorn, and include everything you need to make three fun squirrels! Our aim is to encourage creativity and engage the young and the young at heart. Includes a high-speed matching game and seeded paper packaging. Tonner Doll Company Inc. Kingston, New York tonnerdoll.com TONNER fashion dolls and character figures are the most beloved and sought-after dolls and accessories on the market today. They are designed by renowned artist and designer Robert Tonner and his team of skilled artisans, who bring the highest quality and most detailed figures and fashion dolls to the marketplace. ASTRA
40 August 2014 • astratoy.org
New Members If any of the information below is incorrect, ASTRA truly apologizes. Please contact us immediately at info@astratoy.org.
MANUFACTURERS 4D Cityscape Inc. Mike Fu 64 Sherrick Dr. Gormley, ON L0H1G0 Canada (416) 410-2642 mike@4dcityscape.com 4dcityscape.com BAXBO Shawn Baxter 700 W. 1700 S. St., Suite 29-109 Logan, UT 84321 (435) 363-3450 shawn@baxbo.com Big Mouth Toys Lynn Polaski 655 Winding Brook Dr., Suite 205 Glastonbury, CT 06033 (800) 592-0293 lynn@bigmouthtoys.com bigmouthtoys.com Bizainy Carolyn Enenstein 12400 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 645 Los Angeles, CA 90025 (310) 471-7330 carolyn@bizainy.com bizainy.com B-Strong LLC Alyson Flippo 2062 NW 29th Rd. Boca Raton, FL 33431 (561) 302-6517 alyson@bstrongbrand.com bstrongbrand.com BSV LLC Dmitry Verbovskiy 286 Beech Ave., Unit B5 Torrance, CA 90501 (310) 533-8314 ceo@bsvtoys.com bsv-retail.com
Children of America Dolls Inc. Mary Eubanks 1329 Solita Rd. Pasadena, CA 91103 (626) 797-6182 maryv@coadolls.com coadolls.com
Kendama Co. Samuel Uhlmann 2111 S. Trenton Way Denver, CO 80231 (406) 823-0720 sales@kendama-co.com kendama-co.com
Mini-Play Makeup Inc. Heidi Miller 23 W. 200 S. Burley, ID 83318 (208) 650-6125 help@miniplaymakeup.com miniplaymakeup.com
Crayola Kim Charles 1100 Church Ln. Easton, PA 18064 kcharles@crayola.com crayola.com
Kid Made Modern LLC Brian Richards 20 Vesey St. New York, NY 10007 (212) 792-3952 brian@kidmademodern.com
Okiedog Inc. Tim Kremer 313 Third St. Jersey City, NJ 07002 (201) 245-4304 tim.kremer@okiedog.com okiedog.us
Crayon Rocks Barbara Lee 7053 Vernon Rd. Hestand, KY 42151 barbaralee@crayonrocks.net crayonrocks.net
Krainkn Skateboards Kevin Rains 405 Max Ct., Suite 241A Henderson, NV 89001 (612) 310-2708 krains@krainkn.com 321skate.com
Duarte PaperArt Fernando Duarte 6524 South Land Park Dr. Sacramento, CA 95831 (916) 550-9484 fernando@duartepaperart.com duartepaperart.com Goldbrick Games LLC John Blaine PO Box 500 New Ipswich, NH 03071 (603) 878-3819 johnb@goldbrickgames.com goldbrickgames.com Growth Icon LLC Michael Bridges 15 Greg St. Sparks, NV 89431 (775) 291-8728 mbridges@mail.com
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Lightsuits Gareth Callaway 4 Harpers Croft Unionville, ON L3R 6L1 Canada (905) 604-2426 gareth@lightsuits.com lightsuits.com Lenmark Toys Lenny Gilbert 9600 Cattaraugus Ave. Los Angeles, CA 90048 (323) 804-0424 lenny@lenmarktoys.com Lulu Jr. Alec Senese 3101 Hillsborough St. Raleigh, NC 27607 (917) 968-5493 asenese@lulu.com lulujr.com
Piyo Piyo USA John Hsu 14150 Myford Rd. Irvine, CA 92606 (714) 352-6502 info@piyopiyousa.com piyopiyousa.com
Sensory Star Publishing LLC Leslie Ligon 345 Odoms Bend Rd. Gallatin, TN 37066 (615) 416-1203 bsmart@comcast.net Serranoventions Juliana Vargas 390 NE 59th Terr. Miami, FL 33137 (786) 361-1294 sales@serranoventions.com serranoventions.com Snapo Jon Kemmer PO Box 911039 San Diego, CA 92191 (855) 476-2767 jon.play@snapo.com snapo.com
Poketti LLC Kris Loew 792 E. Charleston Rd. Palo Alto, CA 94303 (650) 576-0604 kris@poketti.com poketti.com
Soluciones Creativas Wilfredo Najera Diag 182 #20-91 CC Panama OfďŹ ce 225A Bogota, Colombia 110141 (571) 526-4241 solcreativas@hotmail.com solucionescreativasinternacional.com
Reality Babies Jean Feldman 150 Mustang Dr. Hutto, TX 78634 (512) 914-0819 feldmanjean@gmail.com realitybabies.com
Squirrel King Enterprises LLC Justus Zimmerman 4926 August St., Apt. 2 Los Angeles, CA 90008 (626) 379-6474 justus@squirrelking.org squirrelking.org
Realtimes Products LLC Brooks Addington PO Box 1008 Dorset, VT 05251 (802) 345-1182 brooks@themultiples.com themultiples.com
SV Toys LLC Sarah King 1212 Remsen Mill Rd. Wall, NJ 07753 (732) 239-6342 svtoys@yahoo.com wackyjax.com
ThoughtFull Toys Inc. Trevor Hite 303 Potrero St., Suite 29-101 Santa Cruz, CA 95060 (831) 421-2363 trevor@thoughtfulltoys.com modarri.com
Yoee Baby Jillian Lakritz 187 Hillside Dr. Silverthorne, CO 80498 (303) 717-8828 jillian@yoeebaby.com yoeebaby.com
Tonner Doll Company Inc. Jack Kralik PO Box 4410 Kingston, NY 12402 (845) 339-9537 jkralik@tonnerdoll.com tonnerdoll.com
SALES REPRESENTATIVES
Verve Inc. Renee Evans 305 Dudley St. Providence, RI 02907 (401) 351-6415 renee@gleegum.com
Patti Becker Becker Associates LLC 42 Ruffet Rd. Stamford, CT 06903 (203) 322-7396 pbecker@beckerassoc.com Doug Cason The Toy Sellers Group PO Box 3453 San Rafael, CA 94901 (415) 491-4215 dsc@toysellers.net toysellers.net
Debbie Coady Debra Coady Associates 38 Frazer Dr. Greenlawn, NY 11740 (631) 262-8912 dcoady@optonline.net Jerry Pinsky R-Biz Associates 1620 Golden St. Hermosa Beach, CA 90254 (310) 798-0538 rbiz.south@gte.net rbizassociates.com Sarah Rosenthal The Rosenthal Group dba Ken Rosenthal & Associates 224 Sudbrook Ln. Baltimore, MD 21208 (410) 484-4007 sarah@krasales.com
Amanda Vega Amanda Vega Consulting 20235 N. Cave Creek Rd., Suite 104-158 Phoenix, AZ 85024 (480) 275-9797 amanda@amandavega.com amandavega.com
Amherst House Phyllis Van Zandt 550 W. Baseline Rd. #102-282 Mesa, AZ 85210 (480) 307-9152 sales@amhersthouse.com
Teri Young Young Associates 626 Northill Richardson, TX 75080 tyoung@ix.netcom.com
RETAILERS 123 Greetings.com Inc. Gautam Malhotra 1674 Broadway, Suite 403 New York, NY 10019 (646) 257-3766 gautam@123greetings-inc.com 123stores.com
Angellina’s Toy Boutique Betty Skoke Burns 101-100 Main St. Whitehorse, YT Y1A 5Z9 Canada (867) 393-4488 yukontoys@gmail.com yukonkids.com Babies to Kids Amy Herrington 2632 N. Steves Blvd. Flagstaff, AZ 86004 (928) 714-1167 azbabiestikids@yahoo.com
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Better World Books Brad Weirich 215 S. Main St. Goshen, IN 46526 (574) 534-1984 brad@betterworldbooks.com Boon Companion John Peltekci 145 Harvard Ave. Claremont, CA 91711 (909) 625-1993 booncompaniontoyz@gmail.com Character Development Jackie Maki 209 Haverford Ave. Narberth, PA 19072 (610) 668-1546 jaclyn@characterdevelopment.net
Chinaberry Inc. Ann Ruethling 2780 Via Orange Way #B Spring Valley, CA 91978 (619) 997-2900 ext. 3130 annr@chinaberry.net chinaberry.com Classroom Plus Inc. Cyndi Markovich 650 Goodlette Rd. N. Naples, FL 34102 (239) 263-6101 info@classroom-plus.com classroom-plus.com Cornerstone Books and Supplies Leona Oberts 44332 Sterling Hwy., Suite 40A Soldotna, AK 99669 (907) 260-8443 cornerstone@alaska.net
Cruisers Inc. David & Barbara Cox 4409 Anaco Beach Pl. Anacortes, WA 98221 (360) 873-8283 cruisers503@hotmail.com Dawn Price Baby Dawn Price 11985 Market St. Reston, VA 20190 (703) 787-3040 dawn@dawnpricebaby.com www.dawnpricebaby.com DLP Unlimited Doyl Peck 9334 South 370 West Sandy, UT 84070 (801) 255-1991 doylp@dlpunlimited.com
Dr. G’s BrainWorks William Gingold 114 Lincoln Sq. Urbana, IL 61801 (217) 607-2427 williamgingold@gmail.com drgsbrainworks.com
Fitzula’s Gift Shop William Fitzula 1614 Union Valley Rd., Suite M West Milford, NJ 07480 (973) 657-9072 bill@fitzulas.com fitzulas.com
Fair Day’s Play Lis Ripkin 7050 Carroll Ave. Takoma Park, MD 20912 (301) 270-4999 fairdaysplay@verizon.net
FunPhysics Marc Church 10708 Riverbrook Cir. Highlands Ranch, CO 80126 (832) 474-8868 marc@funphysics4u.com funphysics4u.com
Finetoyz & More LLC Barbara Boschen 84 King George Rd. Warren, NJ 07059 (732) 667-7428 finetoyz@gmail.com finetoyz.com
Gardners Used Books & Music Richard Gardner 5618 S. Mingo Rd. Tulsa, OK 74146 (918) 627-7323 richard@gardnertaxservice.com
Are you looking for the perfect addition to your Game Nights or gatherings with family & friends? You’re in luck. Paddy O’Shea’s Golf Card Game will excite your spirit, challenge your mind, and leave a smile on your face. It’s the ultimate game of skill, luck, and merry frustration. Paddy O’Shea has taken the traditional card game known as Golf and made it even more fun! How? He’s a leprechaun of course, and he knows a thing or two about putting smiles on people’s faces.
It’s easy to learn and requires just 2 to 6 people, from ages 10 and up. Wholesale Price - $4.95; Suggested Retail $9.95
www.paddyosheagolf.com 44 August 2014 • astratoy.org
HUZZAH! Joe Falzarano 2010 Lincoln Blvd. Venice, CA 90291 (310) 452-2900 joe@huzzahtoys.com huzzahtoys.com
Li’l Baby Sprouts Fanak Ojani 1280 Bison Ave., Unit B9 Newport Beach, CA 92660 (949) 721-1077 info@lilbabysprouts.com lilbabysprouts.com
Monkey Barrel Toys Kristian House 261 Main St. Oneonta, NY 13820 (607) 353-7027 info@monkeybarreltoys.com monkeybarreltoys.com
Imagination Forest Jennifer Johnsey 7613 Blueberry Rd. Powell, TN 37849 (865) 947-7789 jennifer@imaginationforest.com imaginationforest.com
M3M dba Teacher Parent Connection Betty Gilfoy 101 South Pantano Rd. Tucson, AZ 85710 (520) 298-1612 betty@teacherparent.com teacherparent.com
Naturally Curious Kids Jerilyn Rademacher 13 E. College Ave. Westerville, OH 43081 (614) 568-8590 info@naturallycuriouskids.com naturallycuriouskids.com
Isaksen Shops dba Forever Toys Tonya Isaksen PO Box 317 Heber City, UT 84032 (435) 709-8393 forevertoys@gmail.com Kalama Kids Diana Durgeloh 299 N. 1st St. Kalama, WA 98625 (360) 673-3844 allstarkennel@kalama.com Kringles Toys and Gifts Lance Lenhart 767 S. Automall Dr. #13 American Fork, UT 84003 (801) 692-1318 lance@kringlestoysandgifts.com Landis’ Labyrinth Inc. Ms. Devoney Wolfus 140 & 144 No. Larchmont Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90004 (323) 465-7998 devoney@landislabyrinth.com landislabyrinth.blogspot.com Learning Express Toys Kathy Troknya 29 Buena Vista St. Devens, MA 01434 (978) 889-1000 kathy@learningexpress.com
Mammoth Fun Shop Camille Miller PO Box 100 PMB 362 3163 Main St. Mammoth Lakes, CA 93546 (760) 924-1111 mammothfunshop@gmail.com mammothfunshop.com Marbles: The Brain Store Scott Brown 1735 N Ashland Ave. Chicago, IL 60622 (773) 360-5556 scott@marblesthebrainstore.com marblesthebrainstore.com Memphis Museums Inc. Debbie Jordan Pink Palace Museum 3050 Central Ave. Memphis, TN 38111 (901) 636-2392 debbie.jordan@memphistn.gov memphismuseums.org Meyers Toys Daniel Shapiro 35 E. Northfield Rd. Livingston, NJ 07039 (973) 740-9400 fun@meyerstoys.com Momo’s Tree House Heather Mohorn 1101 Locust St. Philadelphia, PA 19107 (336) 317-2979 heather.mohorn@gmail.com
Nature Calls Liz Staples Powerhouse Mall 8 Glen Rd. W Lebanon, NH 03784 (603) 298-5522 liznaturecalls@vermontel.net New Sweet City Inc. Mohammed Miah 74 Chambers St. New York, NY 10007 (212) 566-3737 mohammedsmiah@gmail.com Party Depot John Girolametti 43 South St. Danberry, CT 06810 (203) 731-2590 party.depot@att.net Peace Works Educational Roberta Alexander 2274 W. Mesa Ave. Fresno, CA 93711 (559) 435-8092 peacewrk@aol.com Peanut & Mouse Jill Rickard 101 Mad River Green Waitsfield, VT 05673 (347) 668-0117 jill@peanutandmouse.com peanutandmouse.com
Playthings Aplenty LLC Jackie Anderson 610 Zion Hill Rd. Spartanburg, SC 29307 (864) 621-4906 jackie@playthingsaplenty.com
Ruckus & Glee Sarah Fowles 2122 North 65th St. Wauwatosa, WI 53213 (414) 339-5558 tiredandwired@gmail.com
Pretty Party Place LLC Roger Anderson 2723 E. Comstock St. Gilbert, AZ 85296 (480) 964-9662 prettypartyplaces@gmail.com
RWR Innovations LLC Ronald Nixon 5222 S. 136th St. Omaha, NE 68137 (402) 592-9199 orders@rwrinnovations.com rwrinnovations.com
Quinnderella’s Toys Inc. Jenny Robertson 119 Main St. Manasquan, NJ 08736 (732) 223-1124 qutoys@aol.com Rani Spa Anuj Thukral 529 Jericho Tpke. Mineola New York, NY 11501 (646) 434-9839 retail@ranispa.com
Silly Wilyz Jackie Schoenholtz 161 West Wisconsin Ave., Suite 1H Pewaukee, WI 53072 (414) 333-5518 jackieschoenholtz@yahoo.com
Richard’s Variety Store Ming Yang 931 Monroe Dr. NE #113 Atlanta, GA 30308 (404) 879-9877 contact@richardsvarietystore.com richardsvarietystore.com Robot Developers Gyongyi Gaal 412 East 88th St. 5E New York, NY 10128 (718) 928-5268 regretmedia@yahoo.com Roflcopter, LLC Carolyn Hoberman 234 10th St., Unit 501 Jersey City, NJ 07302 (646) 246-8984 roflcopternyc@gmail.com roflcoptershop.com
Seya Inc. Halim Seyalioglu 33 Office Park Rd., 4A #354 Hilton Head Island, SC 29928 (843) 785-4311 audubonhhi@aol.com
Snyder’s Candy Jeff Balk 60 Rehoboth Ave. Rehoboth Beach, DE 19971 (302) 226-3994 snyderscandyrb@aol.com snyderscandy.com Sourcebooks Inc. Brad Hentz 1935 Brookdale Rd., Suite 139 Naperville, IL 60563 (630) 961-3900 ext. 222 brad.hentz@sourcebooks.com putmeinthestory.com Talbots Toyland Shirley Moore 445 South B St. San Mateo, CA 94401 (650) 931-8100 shirley@talbotstoyland.com
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Teacher’s World LLC Christina Viera 101 N. Union St., #112 Kennewick, WA 99336 (509) 987-1616 info@teachers-world.com teachers-world.com The Dinosaur Farm David Plenn 1510 Mission St. South Pasadena, CA 91030 (626) 441-2767 davidplenn@gmail.com dinofarm.com The Purple Platypus Specialty Gifts LLC Tabitha Geise 335 Market St. Lewisburg, PA 17837 (570) 524-0199 thepurpleplatypustoysandgifts@ gmail.com the-purple-platypus.com The School Shop Christine Komnick 1224 Towanda Plz., Suite 25 Bloomington, IL 61701 kakomnick@clemensins.com
The Teacher’s Trunk Cheryl Hataley 1028 Louise Ave. Saskatoon, SK S7H 2P6 Canada (306) 653-3000 cheryl@teacherstrunk.com teacherstrunk.com The Toy Room Lynn Davies PO Box 842 Bandon, OR 97411 (541) 347-9783 ldavies347@yahoo.com The Toy Shop Carla Haskell 201 W. Napa St., Suite 1 Sonoma, CA 95476 (707) 938-1197 carla_haskell@comcast.net The Whistle Shop Toys Yvonne and Ralph Schoff 462 Devonian St. Box 1612 Estevan, SK S4A2L7 Canada (306) 634-9733 thewhistleshop@sasktel.net
AFFILIATES
Thinker Toys Aaron Bowman 3113 Valley Ave., Suite 112 Winchester, VA 22601 (540) 450-8780 aaron@thinkertoysva.com thinkertoysva.com
Varney Health Mart Margie Trythall 744 South E. St. PO Box 70 Broken Bow, NE 68822 (308) 872-2321 varneyhm@hotmail.com
Tigers & Tulips Tiffany Shriver 14 W. First St. Hinsdale, IL 60521 (630) 455-4133 tiffany@tigersandtulips.com
Villa Villekulla Toy Company Todd Duncan 86153 Fieldstone Dr. Yulee, FL 32097 (904) 556-1266 TDuncan820@bellsouth.net
Toyopolis Jennifer Forman 150 Washington Ave., Suite 104 Santa Fe, NM 87501 (505) 988-5422 westformjen@gmail.com
Vixil Group Michele Vigil 4741 Trousdale Dr., Suite 10 Nashville, TN 37220 (615) 427-2406 michele@vixilgroup.com
Tye’s Toy Store Kristen Ramirez 2238 W. Roscoe St. Chicago, IL 60618 (312) 823-9448 tyestoystore@hotmail.com tyestoystore.com
Wild Kingdom of Toys Christy Smith 5005 Willows Rd., Suite 215 Alpine, CA 91901 (619) 659-9898 christystoyoulet@outlook.com wildkingdomoftoys.com
Valley Wholesale Company Dorothy Sutliff 1032 Idaho Ave. Burley, ID 83318 (208) 678-8365 dsutliff@vwhlsl.com kingsvarietystores.com
Zippity Zoom Toys Ltd. Tracy Bosche 4601 Albert St. Regina, SK 5456B6 Canada (306) 522-8697 zipzoom@sasktel.net
Bambini Partners LLC John Lee 2647 NW 64th Blvd. Boca Raton, FL 33496 (312) 493-1725 jlee@bambinipartners.com QA International Ltd. Jack Corrigan 446 N. Seymour Ave. Mundelein, IL 60060 (847) 949-4700 jack.corrigan@qainternational. com hqts-qai.com Scooterbay Publishing Inc. Scott Reichert 2505 Anthem Village Dr., E-619 Henderson, NV 89052 (702) 837-2734 scott@creativechild.com creativeplayretailer.com Western Toy & Hobby Representatives Association (WTHRA) Frances Mendez 7179 Travis Pl. Rancho Cucamonga, CA 91739 (909) 899-3753 toyshow@wthra.com toyfestwest.com ASTRA
TOY TIMES MAGAZINE, August 2014 Index of Advertisers ALEX Anagram International, Inc. Asmodee Editions Blue Orange Games DeLano/EPI Printing, Inc. edplay magazine Elenco Folkmanis Franklin Fixtures GALT GUND Harrisville Designs Jax Ltd Inc. Laser Pegs Ventures LLC The Learning Journey International
46 August 2014 • astratoy.org
23, Back Cover alextoys.com 4 anagramintl.com 28 asmodee.com 21 blueorangegames.com 27 epiinc.com 40 edplay.com 10 elenco.com 15 folkmanis.com 32 franklinfixtures.com 19 galttoys.com 41 gund.com 29 harrisville.com 11 jaxgames.com 17 laserpegs.com 37 tlji.com
Legendary Games Manhattan Toy Merchant Technologies The Orb Factory Paddy O’Shea’s Card Game Safari Ltd. Serranoventions SmartNoggin Toys Specialty Toys Network TEDCO Toys Thames & Kosmos Wikki Stix Winning Moves Zither Heaven LLC
12 Inside Cover 47 31 44 9 16 20 18 13 43 38 25 27
pocketfarkel.com manhattantoy.com mtpos.com orbfactory.com paddyosheagolf.com safariltd.com serranovations.com smartnoggintoys.com stoysnet.com tedcotoys.com thamesandkosmos.com wikkistix.com winning-moves.com zitherheaven.com
“Empowering America’s Retailersâ€? POINT • • • • •
OF SALE Customer Loyalty and History Lookups High Speed Credit Card Authorization Elimination of End of Day and Month Processing Real-Time Data Transmission Gift Card/Store Credit Tracking
PURCHASING • • • •
Exceptional Open to Buy by Company or Store Forecasting and Allocation Seamless Special Order Processing Automatic Reordering
INVENTORY CONTROL
REAL-TIME RETAIL RELIABLE
FLEXIBLE
• • • • •
Automatic and Recommended Transfers Markdown Management Encyclopedic Audit Trail Real-Time On-Hand Inquiries Physicals without Business Interruption
INTUITIVE E-COMMERCE
PARTIAL CUSTOMER LISTING Barston’s Child’s Play The Children’s General Store Crackerjacks Creative Kidstuff Curious Kidstuff Doodlehopper 4 Kids Froggies 5 and 10 G Whillikers Green Caboose Growing Tree Toys Jackrabbit Toys
Kits ‘N Kaboodle Larson’s Toys & Games Once Upon a Time Pip Squeak and Wilfred Playfair Toys Smart Toys and Books ToySmart Timeless Toys Toy House Toys That Teach Wondrous Things Zoom
• • • •
Real-Time E-Business and Fulfillment Fed-Ex and UPS Interfaces Instant E-Mail Confirmations Comprehensive Fulfillment
ORDER ENTRY • • • •
Real-Time Allocation and Fulfillment Order Management Tools Pick Tickets, Packing Slips, Invoices Back Order Status Reports
REPORTS • • • • • •
Sales and Trend Analysis Color and Size Analysis Location Comparisons Daily/Weekly/Monthly Sales Gross Margin Return on Investment And Many More Throughout!
# "! # " " # # #! #!" "! " # "! # " " # # "# "! # " " # # ! # # !"#!" "!" # ! " ! # # "! # " " # " " # ! " ! # # ! # !"# "# ! "! # # " !#!" " "# "!