2 January 2015 • astratoy.org
A S T R A’ S M A R K E T P L A C E & A C A D E M Y
THE WORLD OF
When inspiration hits Charlotte this year, Will you be there?
> Shop the FREE Marketplace, packed with rows of glorious TOYS to touch, shake, bounce, and roll. > Network with more than 1,000 of your closest friends (and 30+ speakers), ready to share tips and retail best practices. > Discover Brand new vendors, eager to delight your customers with next coolest toy you’ve never seen!
> Participate in Face-to-face, totally unscripted conversations that open up new avenues, solve your most pressing problems.
THE YEAR’S BIGGEST
GATHERING OF THE
SPECIALTY
TOY INDUSTRY JUNE 7-10, 2015
CHARLOTTE
NORTH CAROLINA
REGISTER American Specialty Toy Retailing Association
NOW.
Register at www.astramarketplace.org or 1-800-591-0490 SHOW-ONLY DISCOUNTS!
4TH QUARTER BUYING!
GROW YOUR BUSINESS! astratoy.org • January 2015
3
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Wishing You a Prosperous Holiday!
West Coast debut of new products straight from New York Toy Fair
1EVGL
Check our website at www.toyfestwest.com for current promotions, registration materials, and more. 4 January 2015 • astratoy.org
MESSAGE From the Chair
Eating Your by Michael Levins
Sacred Cows
Dear ASTRA Member, Happy New Year! As we all gear up for New York Toy Fair, 2015 offers us a golden opportunity to start fresh. It’s time to eat our sacred cows. A sacred cow (according to Dictionary.com) is “an individual, organization, institution, etc., considered to be exempt from criticism or questioning.” Let’s face it – we all have a few of these sickly animals lurking around our stores and offices. It might be a sales meeting you’ve always had but no longer need, a longtime staffer who refuses to try anything new, or a product line you keep out of habit even though it is well past its prime. With enough honest searching, I guarantee you will find a small herd of these sacred cows; why not make a resolution to deal with them quickly, efficiently, and humanely? Inertia is difficult to overcome; a body in motion does indeed tend to stay in motion, and a body at rest tends to stay at rest. As a manufacturer, my company is subject to inertia when it comes to making decisions about factories, freight forwarders, safety labs, sales reps, and retailers. We sometimes find ourselves doing something a certain way for no other reason than the fact that we’ve always done it that way. Because of the inertia-laden sacred cows grazing in our office hallways, our decisions are not always guided by what is best for our business. It is reasonable to expect that similar challenges face all of our association members. A rep group may hold a product line that no longer produces for them, when in fact they should drop it and focus more energy on their other manufacturers. A retailer may refuse to buy a new product line because it does not fit an existing category, even though it may be time to shake up the store and adapt to a new retailing environment. So, how best to uncover these sacred cows and eliminate them? I find that continually asking questions, challenging the status quo, and seeking opportunities for improvement works well. I like to ask myself, are we doing something because we have always done it that way? Is nostalgia clouding our decision-
making? Are we being stubborn (or just plain lazy) in not making a change? Just the other day, I called in one of our rep groups to ask how we could be more efficient in processing orders. The rep principal immediately responded with a suggestion to change our procedure for opening new accounts. She said the current system was bogging everyone down. When we looked at it more closely, we saw that she was right; our process was a relic from an earlier time, and was no longer relevant. We updated the procedure – got rid of that sacred cow – and the results were immediate, highly positive, and most appreciated. ASTRA is a vibrant community that offers tremendous resources to those who wish to make use of them. If you don’t know where to turn, what questions to ask, or how to access key information, your trade association is here to help. If you do not know how to find and eat your sacred cows, I guarantee there is someone in ASTRA who can help. Explore the website, post to the discussion boards, and reach out to other ASTRA members. Participate and become an active member! In this day and age, when you have to be on your “A” game to survive (let alone succeed), make sure you take full advantage of what sets ASTRA apart from most other associations: COMMUNITY. I don’t know about you, but I do not want to continue operating my business with a herd of beasts weighing me down on my journey.
Michael Levins innovativeKids 50 Washington St., Norwalk, CT 06854 (203) 838-6400 Ext. 301 mlevins@innovativekids.com astratoy.org • January 2015
5
Board of Directors Chair Michael Levins Past Chair Linda Hays Chair-Elect Dean May
January 2015 • astratoy.org
Treasurer Lillian Davis Secretary Ann Kienzle
Features
16
MONEY MATTERS 12 16
Open-to-Buy for Everyone Preparing for the New Year, Month by Month
TOY STORIES 20
Neighborhood Toy Store Day: One Size Does Not Fit All
20
34
15 Fun Ideas to Get Your Marketing Game On in 2015 The Fresh Faces of ASTRA: Millenials in the Toy Business
Assistant Editor Tina Manzer Graphic Artist Liz Pieniazek
ASTRA NEWS 38 42 44
Magazine Editor Mary Sisson
TRENDING NOW 28
Directors Todd Anderson Bob Breneman Thea Brown Dee Farrell John Giacobbe Tim Holliday Jeff Pinsker Erik Quam Claudia Towles
ASTRA at Toy Fair 2015 Schedule of Events Volunteer Opportunity Correction to the Annual Membership Directory
ASTRA Staff
34
President Kathleen McHugh Director of Member Relations Sue Warfield Director, Meetings and Strategic Partnerships Amanda Zawad Director, Education and Training Greg Choyke
Departments 5 7 8
Message from the Chair President’s Report Ready, Set, PLAY … for Children with Disabilities 10 Focus On Member Relations
Meetings and Exhibits Coordinator Laura Sweitzer
46 New Members 52 ASTRA Welcomes Its Newest Manufacturer Members 54 Index of Advertisers
ASTRA Toy Times Magazine 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 magazine. 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 January 2015 • astratoy.org
Marketing and Communcations Coordinator Dee Marsden Membership Services Associate Katie Marso Office Administrator Maggie Bridger The ASTRA Toy Times Magazine is published by the American Specialty Toy Retailing Association, 432 N Clark St., Suite 305, Chicago, IL 60654, 312-222-0984, fax 312-222-0986, email info@astratoy.org. Website: www.astratoy.org. Copyright © 2015 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 Toy Times Magazine 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
ASTRA Plans by Kathleen McHugh
for a
Welcome to another exciting new year in toys! I hope you had a wonderful holiday season – filled with great sales and good cheer. If you’ve been around the toy business for a while, you know the holidays are the most stressful time of the year. But if the past is any indication, the future looks bright – allowing us to look forward to the start of another year, and all the planning it entails. This new issue of ASTRA Toy Times Magazine is filled with articles about things you can do now to start planning your business year. Kate Tanner offers organizational steps every retailer should take in January, while Debbie Scholl suggests year-round marketing/event planning ideas guaranteed to help bring customers through the door. Phil Wrzesinski discusses the strategy and importance of an open-to-buy plan to create a buying and sales planning tool for your business. You will also find more information about the new ASTRA Exclusive Program rolling out at Toy Fair. Sue Warfield explains how it was created, what you can expect and when. Plan to join us at the Exclusively Yours reception Saturday night at Toy Fair to learn about the products and the full program. We have big plans for ASTRA Exclusives. With the support of our members, we envision dozens of exclusive products for ASTRA members being offered all year round – so come by and learn more about what’s in store. Sue’s work is not finished there. She is creating a handy booklet and website for vendors interested in publishing their in-store play date information, co-op advertising programs, and year-round ASTRA-only special pricing programs. Having all this information in one place for buyers and sellers is another way of working smarter, not harder, and for the benefit of every business in the industry. A complete Toy Fair schedule of ASTRA events is also included in this issue. We are especially excited about our super-powered party in New York! From fabulous superfoods to super delicious drinks, superhero is the theme of the night. Come as your favorite superhero or not, but join the fun at the Night in New York party. Tickets are still available so make sure to spend
BIG
Year
Sunday night with your super friends! ASTRA is also planning for a big year. The Technology Committee is hard at work discussing their findings about technology use and the needs of ASTRA members and what it can deliver to help your business. With so many new technologies in retail and business in general, there are many options that could be great solutions for this industry. Watch for more information from them in the coming months. A newly formed Learning Committee will be putting together the first phase of ASTRA’s education initiative deciding the key learning modules for the profitable operation of toy stores. Once this program is established, they will turn their sights on how we can help deliver modules on manufacturing and sales. Creating strong businesses within the industry will help us all deliver the promise of good toys for children. Finally, I want to say thank you – to our generous volunteers and ASTRA Board, my coworkers and our gracious and appreciative members – for their support this past year for Neighborhood Toy Store Day. If one can feel a tipping point, we felt it this year. Dozens of online posts from stores around the country highlighted family-packed events. Bloggers around the country posted throughout the week and on that day, preaching support for shopping local and about their love for their local toy stores. We also had a big boost in celebrity support from the Kevin Bacon and his Sixdegrees.org campaign, Shop for Good. Thank you, everyone, for making it a day to truly celebrate our special difference. See you next in New York. Warm regards,
Kathleen McHugh astratoy.org • January 2015
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READY,forSET, PLAY... Children With Disabilities
KNOWN Yet
NEW
by Ahren Hoffman, Manager of Industry Relations & Partnerships, National Lekotek Center, ahoffman@lekotek.org
T
oy Fair offers attendees new toys, familiar toys and new twists on existing favorites. Kids crave familiarity and repetition and it’s a good thing they do! Repetition is the mother of learning and remembering. Repetition is especially important for children with special needs because it provides predictability and mastery. Familiarity also makes kids feel secure because it brings with it a sense of comfort and confidence in a skill they have used repeatedly. New is an unknown for kids, but it also pushes them to develop skills and expand the potential of their abilities. Many kids with special needs like familiarity and repetition, but parents and professionals need and want them to advance skills further by exploring new products. Having toys that promote the same play value, but advance different skills, will please both parties. By introducing a new element to play, kids’ competence and confidence can grow. Fortunately, the
best of both worlds exists out there in the toy marketplace, and you may want to watch for more play products with a twist when scouting the aisles at Toy Fair this February. Here are some examples of products that walk the line between the new and the known: Smart Toys & Games Castle Logix and Camelot Jr. – Both of these products have the benefits of traditional puzzles, including spatial reasoning and problem solving, but also help kids develop higher degrees of logic in three dimensions. For a twist on games look to Peaceable Kingdom, which turns traditional game competition into a team effort with everyone winning or everyone losing together. Cooperative games benefit kids of all abilities and teach the basics of teamwork. Peaceable Kingdom takes the pain out of losing or allows kids to share in victories. Even Mattel’s Uno has provided new twists on the traditional card game over the years. A favorite is Uno Attack
with a blaster that can toss the cards at players on whim, exploring unpredictability and a bit more risk, but the basis of the card game play remains. Even traditional sports like catch or throwing a ball can take on a new twist — as with Waboba’s line of water bouncing balls. Yes, they really bounce on water. PlayAbility Toys’ Rib-It Ball adds an auditory component with a crinkle noise. And companies like Hedstrom Specialty and Tangle Creations are making lighted balls that make playing in the dark a visually enlightening event. Whether you find pianos to play with your feet or sand that stays true to form, remember – a touch of familiarity and a sprinkle of new makes life both comfortable and challenging for kids of all abilities. Retailers! We would love for you to share any “known yet new” products found at Toy Fair. Just post your finds on the ASTRA discussion board related to this article. Both past Toy Fair and 2015 Toy Fair products are welcome.
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!
8 January 2015 • astratoy.org
ASTRA
astratoy.org • January 2015
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FOCUS On Member Relations
Exclusively
YOURS
by Sue Warfield, ASTRA Director of Member Relations
I
f only … there was a line of products that was available to ASTRA Retail Members only and that: • Had a strict MAP policy; • Was supported with ASTRA specific/ exclusive signage; • Was chosen by fellow ASTRA retail members; • Guaranteed exclusivity for 18 months.
10 January 2015 • astratoy.org
A dream, you say? Not anymore! In early November, a Request for Proposal (RFP) went out to all ASTRA manufacturer members, inviting them to submit a proposal for 6-12 preschool products to be made available exclusively to ASTRA retail members for a period of 18 months. Within that proposal, qualifications included MAP Policy needs
and the details of what factors would be most important for ASTRA retailers (design, brand, value, marketing). The response was fantastic and the process began for submissions. As this magazine hits the mailbox, a committee of ASTRA retailers will be forging through the submitted products and scoring each on a very detailed scale of
features and qualifiers. The top-scoring line will be unveiled at Toy Fair in a special ASTRA Retailer “Exclusively Yours” Reception at Javits Center on Saturday, February 14, from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. (No worries, still enough time to go out for dinner afterwards and not too early to cut off your day on the show floor.) For those who will not be at Toy Fair, there will definitely be many communications sent out via multiple sources with all the product information. This is only the beginning of exclusive ASTRA Member offerings! A new RFP will be going out by the end of January for a different product category and we will continue working on exclusive products throughout the year and beyond. In conjunction with working on ASTRA Exclusives products, I have also been working with manufacturers to encourage them to gather their ASTRA retailer offerings into one area for reference by retailers and reps. When making your buying decisions, there are so many factors to consider beyond great product. As competition for toys grows, what can ASTRA members do to make sure they remain the best place to go for toys? ASTRA retailer-only specials, play day offerings and co-op advertising programs may just be the final factor in picking the product lines to put on your shelves. However, with so many lines available, it’s hard to keep track of all that is offered. As in the past, ASTRA will have a list of Toy Fair specials offered by our member manufacturers. We will also have a booklet listing year-round specials and programs our ASTRA manufacturers offer to ASTRA retail members only. Knowing that this information will be updated and added throughout the year, we are working on the best format possible to keep everyone up-to-date. More and more, we will be looking at ways that ASTRA can be your most valuable resource for “must know” information, training, and best business practices for all!
In the meantime, please remember that I am always open to calls, input and suggestions as we work on our common goals that are the foundation of ASTRA: • To strengthen the part of the toy industry that is committed to providing children with healthy, quality play materials that have high play value, and
• To bring members of the specialty toy industry together to help each other succeed. As we tackle the challenges of our industry and embrace our opportunities, let’s keep these goals at the forefront – to help invigorate, energize and excite us all to greatness in this new year! ASTRA astratoy.org • January 2015
11
MONEY Matters
Open-to-Buy for
Everyone
by Phil Wrzesinski, Toy House and Baby Too
Y
ou just wrapped up the Christmas season. You’ve counted your inventory. New catalogs are arriving daily. You wish you had a better system for knowing what to buy, when to buy, how much to buy. You’ve heard about this scary thing called Open-to-Buy (OTB). Take a deep breath. OTB isn’t as scary as you think. In fact, you already know more about it than you may imagine.
in January of something you won’t sell until December is rarely a good idea. You know that you must keep certain items in stock at all times because customers consistently ask for those items. At its core, OTB is simply putting all of that knowledge into a system which allows you to make smarter purchases that manage your cash flow and inventory better. Yes there is math. But it is only addition and subtraction.
You Already Understand the Basics
The Numbers You Need to Track
First, you know instinctively that it doesn’t make sense to spend money on sleds in May. You know that ordering six cases
There are three numbers you need to track at the end of each month – sales, inventory and purchases. (continued on page 14)
12 January 2015 • astratoy.org
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MONEY Matters (continued from page 12) Start by tracking those numbers by category. Take your monthly numbers for a category and plot them on a piece of paper for a whole year. One row for each month and two columns each for sales, inventory and purchases (see table). If you start tracking today, within a year you will have powerful information to guide future purchases.
Making Predictions Once you have your numbers, you need to make two predictions for the month. The first is how much you expect to sell in a given month. The second is where you want your inventory levels at the end of that month to be. Add those two numbers together then subtract your current inventory from that total. This will tell you how much you can afford to purchase. (The sample is in retail, not wholesale, numbers – remember that when you place your orders.) In the sample table, looking at the results from 2014, we have made a prediction of $550 in sales for January based on last year’s sales and the store’s overall growth. We would like to keep inventory levels around $1,500. Here is the math:
Expected Sales ($550) + Ending Inventory ($1,500) – Current Inventory ($1,550) = $500 We are Open-to-Buy about $500 in product (at retail).
Making Adjustments At the end of each month, plug in your numbers and compare them to your predictions. Rarely will they match. That’s okay. You might have missed sales because the orders you placed didn’t come in on time. You might have a hot item in the category driving extra sales. You might have a deal too good to pass up that made you buy more than you budgeted. See where your sales were higher or lower than expected and decide if it was an anomaly or a trend. The key is to look at every category every month. Make new predictions and adjust as necessary. You might need to split the next order into multiple ship dates to fit your OTB. You might buy from a distributor with lower minimums this month and save up for a bigger order direct from the vendor later. You might put a future ship date on an order, or simply push it back a month. There are always adjustments. If you stay on top of them, you stay on top of your cash flow.
OTB is Just a Guide At the end of the day, OTB is simply a system to keep you from over-buying by helping you calculate your budget and make predictions based on your history and trends. Think of it as a guide more than a rule. What you predicted and what actually happened will rarely match. But at least now you know why and can adjust accordingly.
14 January 2015 • astratoy.org
Simple Tips to Help You Manage Cash The most important thing is to have a system in place to manage your cash flow and inventory. Whether you choose a full OTB system, or simply track a few numbers here and there, here are some tips that will help: • Always over-buy the must-haves. There are products your customers ask for all the time. You always want to be able to say, “Yes, we have that in stock. • Never out-buy your terms. If you get Net 30 on your order, don’t buy more than 30 days’ worth of product. • Get rid of the dogs. Turn the slow-moving merchandise into cash. Even if you only recoup your cost, it gives you the money to buy something else that will move faster. • Never buy something you don’t want. Extending your order to reach a better discount or term is rarely a good idea. The markdowns you end up taking on items you didn’t feel strongly about in the first place eat up any extra discounts you might have received. In our business, cash is king. The more detailed your OTB, the more cash you’ll have to pay your bills and run your kingdom. Questions? Feel free to email Phil at phil.toyhouse@acd.net.
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astratoy.org • January 2015
15
MONEY Matters
Preparing for the New Year, Month by Month Reprinted from the ASTRA Newsletter, December 2007 by Kate Tanner, Kidstop Toys, Scottsdale, Arizona
J
anuary is my favorite month. Hard to believe, but I love setting up the new year, reviewing all that has happened and brainstorming how to make it better. A double latte and a quiet morning before we open and I’m setting up the year with all my dreams, hopes and aspirations.
January First we finalize all accounting and set up year-end first runs for the accountant. Then we run store sales reports. Reports are the name of the game. We run catalog sale reviews, category sales to total sales, top sellers, slow sellers, inventory analysis and sales versus inventory level. This helps us start the markdown process. January is the time to start moving the slower sellers out the door.
February Markdowns and selling-trend studies continue as we prepare for Toy Fair. Before we hit the floor at Javits, we have set up our complete business plan for the year with open-to-buy in place. Planning for our heavy clearance sale is underway so when we return from Toy Fair we make room for the new. One year we went after our top sellers heavily for each category. We set out to feature top toys per month. Sales increased 25 percent that year. We are very cautious about big buy-ins for dating. If you run a tight open-to-buy and marketing plan on schedule, you should be able to increase your turn of goods to get higher return on your dollar.
March/April Spring cleaning and a new look to the store is our goal. We finalize spring
16 January 2015 • astratoy.org
buying with reps so we can get the store into position quickly for our new look. We have made our decisions on outdoor section top picks, travel toys, spring holidays, Easter baskets and how we will set up. Plan a store meeting to introduce new toys to the employees. Now is the time for fresh paint and carpet cleaning. Start off April by reviewing first-quarter results compared to business plan.
rep’s input. Trends and hot toys should start to surface. With hot sellers, we’ve locked in orders for every six weeks. Compare to hot toy lists and see what will work within your store. Only you know what you can sell in larger quantities, but don’t be out.
May/June/July
July
Buying is complete, employees are in place and trained for the run about to happen with summer activities, freight, everything we need to do. We should be on autopilot at this time.
Another great month to have a sale, move out the slower performers, get your money back and prepare for Back-to-School. Not every toy you bring in will be a hit. Mark it down and run for the new toys for fall season. Review second-quarter results and adjust your business plan if need be. Run another round of reports to see how different lines are doing. We know who is up or down so far this year, so we can order and adjust as needed.
June Start of holiday buying. Search for the toys that you cannot be out of and place those orders now. Schedule round two with your reps after ASTRA Marketplace, or before if you want your
(continued on page 18)
astratoy.org • January 2015
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MONEY Matters (continued from page 16)
July/August/September Set up the holiday season completely. Monitor this to your business plan and current inventory. August is when we set up our advertising schedule for the
holidays and what we will be doing. PR work becomes a daily routine at this time. Our purchases also reflect what will be showcased on our Christmas trees, what we will be selling at different events we do, etc.
September/October Floor work, recruiting and training — the pace picks up fiercely at this time. Birthday parties are hopping again and the holiday shipments start arriving to be put in storage. We have grown enough to add off-site storage — much more economical than paying rent on retail space. This is a great time for store meetings with employees to get hands-on expertise training with the new toys. Our reps help out, and our meetings are always eventful.
October This month is critical in monitoring and controlling the orders we have placed for the fourth quarter. We have set up a file system per month where we keep the copy of what we have on order, ready to review. The open-to-buy list is maintained on the front of each with a summary of invoices due kept alongside. At a moment’s notice, you should know your inventory level, cash flow needs, and incoming freight. Review third-quarter results and adjust inventory flow immediately to current sales growth. Monitor sales turn, and also watch to make sure that shipments are not too slow, running the risk of backing up product. Keep in contact with reps and your manufacturers. Avoid a possible overload of inventory that could be a slow seller.
November/December It’s all about the customer. Review special orders every Monday. Every week, new toys are thoroughly introduced to employees. It’s time to get sharp and sharper, the crunch is here. Seriously push the hot toy list, and email, call or drop in and get your name on people’s minds for the holidays: TV, radio, newspaper — look to all avenues. Network, network, network.
December 24 and 25 Enjoy your family and be thankful for all your wonderful customers and the new wonderful customers who walked into your store this year. Tomorrow we go back to planning how to make them love us even more! ASTRA
18 January 2015 • astratoy.org
TOY Stories
N
Neighborhood Toy Store Day: One Size Does Not Fit All
eighborhood Toy Store Day is not a one-size-fits-all event. The framework allows stores – new and established, big and small, rural and urban, in all climates and locales – to take a concept and run with it, in the way that best fits the store and its customers.
Customers Volunteer Diana Durgeloh of Kalama Kids in Kalama, Washington, has already decided to simplify the event next year. This was her first Neighborhood Toy Store Day, after adding a toy store in 2013 to a 30-year-old consignment shop and 5-yearold boutique under the same roof. “We had so much going on we had to hand out a page-long flier of all the day’s events when people walked in the door,” she said. She tapped customers as volunteers to run activities at six tables. While kids chose one giveaway from Snap-O, Kahootz, Orb K Factory or Safari, F the t volunteers’ kids received all four. r Children could leave a letter to Santa, and by the end of the week a reply would be waiting for them at the store. Durgeloh offered 10 percent off storewide that
day and kicked off complimentary gift wrap and a toy drive for families in transitional housing in her county. “We started talking on Facebook three months before,” Durgeloh said. She boosts one post daily for $5 and has 10,568 Facebook likes – in a town of 2,312. “It was really fun,” she said. “The surprising thing to me, it wasn’t our regular customers. It was a lot of new people.”
New Store, Warm Day “We are lucky to be in California and we can count on the weather cooperating with the fact that we have most of our activities outside in front of the store,” Dana Chavez said. She and her husband Luis opened The Wonder Emporium in La Habra in August 2013 and joined ASTRA shortly before Neighborhood Toy Store Day. With the help of reps Kim Newett of Sunshine Sales and Steve Bigler from Elenco she had Orb Factory crafts and Snap Circuits out in the sunshine, along with an employee doing Do-a-Dot. “It is so fantastic that our companies and reps are happy to help and provide their products to us,” Chavez said. Janod donated a Bikloon balance bike. The store offered a raffle ticket for every $50 spent in the week leading up to NTSD and to everyone who attended that day. Announcing the winning ticket number on Facebook gave the store a good jump in Facebook likes. While the Wonder Emporium is new for Chavez, toy retailing isn’t. Her mom, Erin Kelly, owns The Wee Loft in Dana Point and Corona Del Mar, California.
It’s twice the fun with the daughters of owners Dana and Luis Chavez at The Wonder Emporium.
seemed a little lower in attendance, sales were up, reports Sheri Amato. And one attendee reflected the Polish culture of New Britain, Connecticut: local celebrity Pierogi the Penguin. Friends and family volunteered to lead activities, including crafts, games and science. “They were busy all during the day,” Amato said. The hobby department offers train events throughout the year, but this was the toy department’s day to shine. Facebook boosts, email blasts and the local newspaper brought folks in.
Down on the Boardwalk Building with Snapo blocks was a hit with these young customers at Kalama Kids on Neighborhood Toy Store Day.
20 January 2015 • astratoy.org
Sales Up From 2013 While the third Neighborhood Toy Store Day at Amato’s Toy and Hobby
The tourists had mostly gone home, and Neighborhood Toy Store Day gave Tidepool Toys & Games a chance to (continued on page 22)
TOY Stories (continued from page 20)
reach out to the locals in Bethany Beach, Delaware. Lori and Sandy Smyth opened the store about 3 1/2 years ago and added a second location five miles away in Fenwick Island this year. “Most of our sales occur between Memorial Day and Labor Day,” Lori Smyth said. While retailers in other locales gear up for a big holiday season, Tidepool uses that time to promote itself to year-round residents as a destination. A Marine came to shake the hand of every child who dropped toys in the Toys for Tots box, and 20 percent of total sales went toward the toy drive. Customers could choose a toy or let the store select it at the end of the day. Edutainer Jungle John brought his fourfoot alligator, 10-foot constrictor and other animals for one show, then changed
Left: Once a Marine, always a Marine, and this Marine shook the hand of every child who contributed to Toys For Tots at Tidepool Toys. Right: Warm California weather meant activities could happen on the sidewalk at The Wonder Emporium, including discovering with Snap Circuits.
hats for his man-eating balloon show. And next came the Beach Olympics, with Plasma Car races on the boardwalk and Zing archery contests on the beach. On Sunday, the Smyths repeated a scaled-down event in their second location, with a local magician adding to the toy store magic.
Working Wonders The community had other things going on Nov. 8, so Wonder Works, with four locations in the Charleston, South Carolina area, delayed its Holiday Elfstravaganza one week. The store tied in vendors, including Crazy Aaron (continued on page 24)
22 January 2015 • astratoy.org
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TOY Stories (continued from page 22) himself; Rob Bertschy, creator of the locally-made Swurfer; and Elfie, head Elf on the Shelf. But the celebrities that drew the biggest crowd were the Snow Princess and Snow Queen. At $2 per ticket, four sing-along performances raised $1,000 for four charities: Keys of Hope, started by kids to raise money for a local shelter; Samaritan’s Purse Operation Christmas Child; and two charities raising awareness of pediatric cancer and colon cancer. Kids could have a Play Visions snowball fight in Wonder Works’ Frozen Tundra, blast with Mattel’s BoomCo Blaster, join a Frozen Frenzy coloring contest and Panini sticker exchange, and get an Elfstravaganza charm from Roxo, according to Ellie Lee, the store’s program and events coordinator.
C
ustomers who were holiday shopping at Kidding Around! in New York City found themselves one degree closer to Kevin Bacon on Neighborhood Toy Store Day. Bacon showed up to wrap gifts and greet customers in support of NTSD and the Shop For Good campaign. ASTRA partnered with SixDegrees.org, Bacon’s charity, to promote the shop-local message on Neighborhood Toy Store Day and to raise awareness for Shop For Good. Businesses that participated in Shop For Good donated a percentage of each purchase to a school or charity chosen by the customer, encouraging consumers to shop local and donate to a worthy cause at the same time.
ASTRA
24 January 2015 • astratoy.org
TRENDING Now
15
Ideas to Get Your
FUN Marketing Game On in 2015
by Debbie Scholl, FUNdamentally Toys, Houston Texas
B
to begin creating your own game plan for 2015 with these five efore we dive into actual marketing ideas, let’s define the steps and 15 creative suggestions. term marketing. Simply stated, marketing is everything you do to place your product or service in the hands of potential customers: email messaging, social media, in-store signage, Where, oh where, to begin? website copy and products, and direct mailings. Through these It can be paralyzing to look at a blank piece of paper and marketing efforts, we express who we are as a business and begin plotting your events and communications. But trust communicate what we have to offer to our audience. me, the process gets easier as you become more practiced. Marketing is NOT It actually can turn into optional. Marketing is NOT an enjoyable exercise in something you do just when creativity. Starting at the Do you have a vision and mission business gets tough. You beginning of a new year is statement? Are you clear on your should NOT do it simply to ideal, but don’t hesitate to core values and what your business generate sales. And lastly, jump in anytime during the represents? Have you identified marketing should NOT be a year. Planning is a continually struggle. It can be an enjoyable unfolding process and any your ideal customer and know what effort that is extremely fruitful. starting point is better than products they want? I like how Peter F. putting it off. Drucker, one of the best-known I find it helpful to begin with and most widely influential a blank monthly calendar. It thinkers and writers on the subject of management theory and doesn’t matter if you use a paper and pencil version, an online practice, sums up marketing. He states, “The aim of marketing calendar, or an integrated system like SnapRetail. I use calendarlabs. is to know and understand the customer so well that the product com monthly templates to get started on basic planning. or service fits him and sells itself.” Before the marketing planning process even begins, you Five Easy Steps to Marketing Success must dig in, do a little soul searching and make sure you have a sound understanding of your core values, customer and Step 1: Start with the low-hanging fruit: Pencil in all the major products. Marketing efforts that don’t support your vision national holidays. Enter all national holidays into the calendar and mission or align with your true nature can take you down (Easter, Memorial Day, Thanksgiving, etc.) You don’t have to unproductive paths and create struggles. know what you are going to do yet, just make sure you have the At FUNdamentally Toys, one of our core values is to be a heavy-hitting national days identified. And don’t forget your community place for families to gather. How that value plays own anniversary date as well – always a reason to celebrate! out in our marketing efforts is through lots of events, both big and small, that draw customers into the store. Once they come Step 2: Plan departmental promotions and place them through the door, they have fun, learn something new, and throughout the calendar. Identify the key departments of interact with our staff. In turn, we demonstrate our commitment your store and pick a month to plan a promotion for each to education, great product knowledge and personal service. area. For example, an outdoor toys focus is ideal for a spring Plus people like us because we are a FUN place! month; arts and crafts may lend themselves to a back-toIf you’ve read this far, you might be feeling charged up school promotion. Focusing on key department areas gives and ready to start planning. Well, pass jail and move forward you an opportunity to showcase the great toy categories you (continued on page 30) January 2015 • astratoy.org
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TRENDING Now (continued from page 28) have to offer. Keep promotions easy to understand and more about product benefits and features, less about price. Actual product demos work well for presenting categories. If you want to discount, make it a multiple-item purchase offer. Try “Buy three, get one free;” “Save X when you buy two or more;” or offer a wild card discount with a spinning wheel or other drawing gimmick. These are ways to create excitement and offer discounts without big hits to margins. Plan promotions significantly ahead of an event with your open-to-buy in mind so you have adequate inventory to make strong product presentations and meet customer demand. Step 3: Host events as gifts to your customers and as a way to attract and connect with them. Customers are very
receptive to live entertainment events. Schedule in-store events at least once per quarter, or if you can, one per month. Keep it simple. Hire a professional to put on a show or a presentation for 3045 minutes. Serve easy refreshments themed to the event. I find it important to know how many are coming in order to keep the event to a comfortable number of attendees, so I use an online invitation system (Eventbrite) for RSVPs. I also think an RSVP creates a sense of excitement and urgency. With the kids focused on a professional entertainer, your staff is free to help customers who want to shop. Keep yourself open and available so you can spend time socializing with your customers. It’s important to make a connection with them that has nothing to do with buying toys.
Don’t make these events about ringing the cash register. You are the host. The event is a gift to your customers, a thank you for their loyalty, and an opportunity to attract new customers. Step 4: Find wonderfully wacky stuff to put on the calendar. Search for unusual holidays on websites such as holidayinsights.com/moreholidays to find interesting days you can create an event around. These are great for quick fillin marketing ideas. There are hundreds of special days. You can’t celebrate everything, but a number of well-chosen days will make your store stand out and leave a favorable impression. Step 5: Pull it all together and brand it. My cornerstone of marketing is email messaging that keeps my customer base informed and engaged. I recommend sending consistent weekly emails. We like sending ours on Thursday evenings. Make emails enjoyable, clear and concise. Remember that customers always want to know what’s in it for them. Make your communications about what they will receive, experience or enjoy. With my email theme in place for each week, I can decide on other supporting elements I might need. Make sure your website is updated with current and upcoming events. We create posters for bigger events, make quarterpage fliers to pass out in advance, add toppers to displays, and plan social media posts.
Here are a few ideas and themes to get started in 2015: 1. Go Wild – Exotic animals and reptiles are wildly popular. Contact local animal sanctuaries in your area and see if they have outreach or educational programs that come and put on presentations. Pull together related merchandise and create a themed area or feature table in your store. 2. Spin to Win – Adults and kids love the “wheel of fortune.” Invest in a good quality wheel that spins and 30 January 2015 • astratoy.org
allows customization for a variety of in-store events. Have customers spin to receive prizes or discounts, answer trivia questions, etc. Adults and children love this!
3. Make ‘Em Laugh – April Fool’s Day, Limerick Day, or Tell a Joke Day are great opportunities to engage customers in some verbal fun. It’s inexpensive and easy to tell jokes, answer riddles, make up limericks, etc. The goal is to have fun and make the store experience memorable.
4. Express Your Inner Geek – Celebrate “Learn your Name in Morse Code Day,” play science trivia, host a science magic event, offer science demos, or have a hands-on experiment play day. Capitalize on promoting STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) learning.
5. Hop in for Breakfast with the Easter Bunny – Go all out for Easter. Plan well ahead of time and schedule your event for the Saturday before Easter. Hire a bunny costume character, bring in a petting zoo, serve simple breakfast items, hold an Easter bonnet contest, take pictures with the bunny, hand out Easter treats. I recommend purchasing a bunny costume. It pays for itself quickly over time. The bunny can be seen around town and promote your event too. If you’ve got the room outside, consider pony rides as part of the petting zoo.
6. Create a 100 Days of Summer Event – It’s exactly 100 days from Memorial Day to Labor Day. Use them to create a summer umbrella of fun and make your store a great place to be. Play Beach Bingo and fill up cards with stickers for prizes. Host a Lego building contest in June as soon as school lets out. Offer double loyalty points during the 100 days. Have Wild Wheel Wednesdays with your spinning wheel and award prizes. Post Friday Facebook Freebies and have people come in to claim their gift. Designate August as Family Fun Month with weekly Friday night events.
Happy 30th Anniversary Toymarketing and Rody!!!
7. Hire Costume Characters – Book-related characters are especially popular and you can host an event around the character itself. As many of you know, Frozen-themed events with the princesses and Olaf have been powerful draws. Treat character visits like a theme party. Keep them simple and focused.
8. Pull Some Strings – Hire a marionette or other local puppeteer to perform one evening in your store. Order plenty of puppet inventory beforehand. It’s a great selling opportunity.
9. Take Aim, Fire, and Score! – Create a large colorful dart board bulls-eye on shiny poster board paper with different discounts on the rings. Use a sucker-type crossbow and let customers shoot for their discount (or free prize) on any sports and outdoor purchases. Best of three shots determines the discount or prize. (continued on page 32)
We thank you for your continued business and look forward to working with all of you for many years to come. We have created two unique 30th Anniversary Rody’s which will be available in January 2015.
NY Toy Fair Booth # 1026 & 1028 800-496-6427
tmigymnic@sbcglobal.net www.tmigymnic.com astratoy.org • January 2015
31
TRENDING Now (continued from page 30)
10. Have a “B-I-G� (Boss is Gone) Sale – Take a vacation and let your staff run a Boss Is Gone Sale while you are away. Make it seem like they are giving things away in your absence when they are really getting rid of stock problems. It’s a great alternative to sidewalk or standard clearance events. 11. Host a Shark Week – Tie into The Discovery Channel’s hit show. Hire a shark expert to come speak, read shark books, play shark trivia, make sharks out of modeling clay, etc. 12. Celebrate the Joy of Reading with National Children’s Book Week – May 4-10, 2015. Promote your book area Create
Train
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develops the tripod grip muscles in little hands
enviromentally friendly materials and packaging
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with a “buy three, get one free� offer on all books (free book is the least expensive one). Create a book ballot where kids can vote on their favorite books and give each voter a free Little Golden or I Can Read Book ($3.99 retail value).
13. Try a Toy Tester Day - Get feedback on new items with a toy tester day. Set up areas in your store with lots of product demos on a Saturday. Post product information for each item and solicit feedback on written evaluation forms. You can also make this a huge outside event if you have the space, or make it an entire week of testing.
14. Invite Your Best Customers for Champagne & Shopping - Make it a private, adult-only holiday event. Have champagne, sparkling water, hors d’oeuvres, chair massages, swag bags, etc. Hire local high school kids to gift-wrap so your staff can be out on the oor.
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15. Promote Your Online Business with Cyber Week – Get a jump on Black Friday and Cyber Monday with a whole week of online-only deals the week before Thanksgiving. Give customers the option to buy online and pick up in-store. Make every day a new set of offerings available only online. Buy advantageously so you can offer a deeper discount. And there you are – 15 tried-and-true marketing ideas to help you get your game going. If executing all these great marketing ideas is just not your forte, delegate the responsibility to someone who can pull it all together for you. Make sure your emails, website, event invitations, and Facebook postings look professional, coordinated, and branded. It is well worth the investment to contract with a marketing service or individual to help you develop and implement your marketing plan. Join me in Charlotte, North Carolina this June for the ASTRA Marketplace and Academy, where I will be presenting a session on creating an easy-to-manage marketing plan your store.
ASTRA
32 January 2015 • astratoy.org
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TRENDING Now
The Fresh Faces of ASTRA: Millenials in the
Toy Business by Mary Sisson, editor
T
he future of the specialty toy industry is in the hands of the young professionals who pepper its ranks. Look around Toy Fair and you’ll likely see a lot of salt-colored hair. But these fresh faces of ASTRA bring new flavors to the mix. Here’s a taste of their perspectives.
The Rep “The question isn’t what sold before,” said Steve Starobinsky, 29, director of marketing and new business development for Diverse Marketing, one of the nation’s largest rep groups. “Just because something sold before doesn’t mean it will sell again. We have to figure out if it’s still relevant today.” Keeping the pulse on art and pop culture excites him. “We’re a fashion-forward industry,” he said. He recommends websites such as mashable.com and buzzfeed.com for staying on top of what’s culturally new. But that doesn’t mean regurgitating the same old toy and slapping a new license on it. It means creating the next great toy. What “Frozen” allowed specialty to do is to look at licensed products from a whole new perspective, Starobinsky said. “When I first got in (the rep business), if I pitched a licensed toy to specialty, I got laughed at.” He expects licenses such as Minions, New Avengers, Star Wars and others to be big in 2015. “Every big toy company is going to be licensing those products,” he said. “There’s going to be more great product than there’s going to be shelf space at mass. There’s so much incredible content – customers will love it on its own merit.” As a rep who straddles toy and gift, he urges toy people to explore outside the toy industry and see what’s going on in the gift world. “The toy world is too much in a
34 January 2015 • astratoy.org
bubble ... if we don’t go out and see it, we’re going to miss out.”
The Retailer David Stelzer was 24 when he and his parents bought Shenanigans Toy Shop in Baltimore in 2005. “It was focused on baby, cutesy, girls and dolls,” he said. “We went weird.” While carrying lines you’d expect to find in a neighborhood toy store – Playmobil, Hot Wheels, puppets, Channel Craft – Stelzer also brought in “things that nobody in their right mind would bring in, but they’ve sold.” Like Mattel’s robotic dinosaur, D-Rex. “My rep said, ‘I don’t think you want this.’ I said, ‘I’ll take four to start with.’ They sold through in a month at $150 each. We sold 20 of those things before they quit making them.” In just 1,100 square feet, he caters to a wide range of ages, something he sees as vital to the specialty toy industry. “We need to broaden the age range, not just the tween market, but the young adult and adult market.” He and a board game store partner with a local monthly event, Baltimore Brews and Board Games. “We get a fair amount of business from there,” he said. “We carry a huge number of games for our size,” including games for adults. “Video games are, unfortunately, having a major effect,” he said. When toy companies try to bridge the gap between video and hands-on toys, “it skews very much to the big box. It’s definitely hurting us.” Another concern: customers shop for a child who’s “obsessed with” Lego or “Frozen” or some other interest, and it’s that or nothing. “People say they want
something new, but in the end they’re like kids – ‘I only like chicken tenders.’” While Stelzer sees a future for the independent toy store, he finds the prospect of 3-D printing scary. “It’s getting cheap enough, you’re going to be able to print out your own toys,” he said. “I worry about how the CPSIA going to test something you just built at home with your kid!”
The Manufacturer Quality is one of the reasons Damien Crocker thinks the specialty toy industry is so important. “I use the term ‘real toys.’ That’s where you get quality,” he said. Crocker just turned 30; he was 23 when he started with The Orb Factory as a “telephone sales monkey.” Now he’s national sales director. “The industry’s different now,” he said. “The emergence of online and the monster it has become puts young people in the industry in a unique place – to be better able to come up with strategies for taming that beast.” He sees brick-and-mortar businesses starting to hold their own. “What we offer to the consumer is unique. It’s values-based shopping. You can’t find that on the Internet, in the big boxes … There are not that many places you can go as a kid that are magical, and a toy store is one of them.” He sees his peers choosing that type of experience. “Looking at my collection of friends the same age, most would shop at the local farmers market rather than the big grocery store or Wal-Mart.” While he represents the age of technology, Crocker believes in the power of a phone call. Still, he makes good use of technology when it can simplify the fringe tasks of doing business. He manages not (continued on page 36)
astratoy.org • January 2015
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TRENDING Now
Carah Killian
(continued from page 34) only his calendar, but all of the Orb Factory’s meetings, vacations and events on his phone, which shares to his computer and is a centralized point of contact for everyone – except Bill Bordegon, North American sales and marketing manager, who still writes it all down in a leather-bound notebook. But beyond the ways technology can help, Crocker appreciates old-school attitudes. “It’s about relationships, about talking to people,” he said.
The Manager Managing a toy store is definitely not something Carah Killian, 25, always wanted to do. She was 14 when her mom started running Beyond the Blackboard stores in Colorado. “In high school, you could not pay me enough to work at our stores,” she said. But during college, after a couple of jobs she couldn’t stand, she asked her mom if there was anything she could do for the business. Starting as assistant to the bookkeeper, she soon became shipping and receiving manager about a year out of college. And when this educational store opened a seasonal toy store, her mom suggested she manage it. “Two years later, it’s not so seasonal, but I couldn’t imagine doing anything else,” she said. She tries hard to remain open to feedback that could help her improve and stay on the same page as her staff of 19, and she brings a level of flexibility and exuberance. She uses Google
Docs to put out the staffing schedule for the month ahead and texts her staff anything they need to know, rather than typing it out and making copies. “The future of the specialty toy industry is firmly rooted in us knowing our stuff, as well as increasing awareness about the value of locally-owned businesses as a resource and supporter for the community,” she said. We have to make ourselves stand out and add value to the in-store experience that big box retailers cannot. “It’s about the little things that make up the experience. Offering the perfect gift idea and completing it with free gift wrap. Making their returns as easy as their purchases. And treating each and every customer like they’re the most important one you have — because they are.”
The Entry Luck. That’s how Crocker says he wound up in the toy industry. He’d been working in sales for a telecommunications company and hated it. He saw an ad for The Orb Factory, got an interview, and found himself in a surreal environment filled with toys. “My mom laughs,” he said, “She could have told me that I’d be doing this when I was a kid.” Stelzer started part time at Barston’s Child’s Play as an 18-yearold college student. He’d shopped there as a child before getting more into collectible toys. “I’m kind of a big kid,” he said. I was looking for a job, called them, and they were looking for somebody.” Starobinsky loves to tell his story. “Overall, I’m a pretty lucky guy. I found what I wanted to do,” he said. After he and his parents immigrated from Ukraine in 1992, his mom signed him up for Big Brothers Big Sisters. He was assigned to Ryan Logan, then vice president of sales at Funrise Toys. In high school he got his first job at Brookstone, finding he had a talent for selling. Logan offered him a job at Funrise. “I started in the warehouse, loading containers in 120-degree heat.” he said. “Go load a container before you promise you can ship something out that day.” From there he went to the IT department, accounting department, and then event marketing and sales before being made specialty sales manager. Diverse Marketing was the line’s rep group, and that’s how he wound up there. “Ryan definitely opened the door for me,” Starobinsky said. And he sees the need for the toy industry to open doors for more young people through internships. “With no internships, there’s no way to get any experience at toy companies.” ASTRA
36 January 2015 • astratoy.org
LEARN ! CREATE! PLAY!
Ask us about our FREE Merchandising Materials, Freight, Deals and Discounts! Toll Free 800.741.0089 Toll Free Fax 888.807.7979
orders@orbfactory.com www.orbfactory.com
Follow us on • January 2015 37 astratoy.org
News
ASTRA at Toy Fair 2015 Schedule of Events
M
ake sure to stop by the ASTRA booth #5849 at Toy Fair to say hi to the ASTRA staff and discover your superpower with super prizes! Retailers: Pick up your member ribbon and passport of Toy Fair specials to ensure you get the very best deals during the show. You won’t want to miss out on the incredible savings that you receive as an ASTRA member! Manufacturers: Pick up your member ribbon and member plaque to display in your booth to draw traffic and let everyone know you’re a proud ASTRA member. Sales Representatives: Pick up your member ribbon along with the “Sales Rep Wanted” list – a catalog of ASTRA manufacturers looking for sales representatives – and discover new product lines to represent.
Register for Marketplace & Academy and Win Prizes! Register for Marketplace & Academy at Toy Fair and not only will you score the early-bird discount, but you’ll also be entered to win a tablet. As an additional bonus for registering at Toy Fair, you’ll get to spin the super prize wheel loaded with prizes including Starbucks gift cards, a FitBit and more!
Changes to the ASTRA Member Lounge ASTRA will no longer have a private members-only lounge at Toy Fair. To accommodate the growing demand for new exhibitors and larger displays, TIA has combined the individual association lounges into one large shared hospitality lounge. ASTRA will be sharing the lounge space with multiple industry partners including the Canadian Toy Association, LIMA (Licensing Industry Merchandisers’
Association), and ICTI (International Council of Toy Industries). The lounge will open one hour before show opening each day. Hang your coat on the garment racks and grab a coffee, soda, or water compliments of TIA. The lounge is located in Hall 1E Room 12, past the Food Court on the bottom floor of the Javits Center.
Saturday, February 14 Shared Hospitality Lounge 9 a.m. – 6 p.m. Hall 1E, Room 12 Drop off your coat, grab a beverage, and make it your regular spot for lunch and socializing with your ASTRA friends.
Exclusively Yours Reception 5 p.m. – 6 p.m. Hall 1E, Room 6 Kick off your evening with a reception for ASTRA members to celebrate the unveiling of the exclusive ASTRA preschool line of products. Stop in for a drink on us and learn all about the products that will be available only to our ASTRA member retailers. Happy Valentine’s Day from ASTRA!
Sunday, February 15 Shared Hospitality Lounge 8 a.m. – 6 p.m. Hall 1E, Room 12 Drop off your coat, grab a beverage, and make it your regular spot for lunch and socializing with your ASTRA friends.
Night in New York Party 6:30 p.m. – 9:30 p.m. Naples 45, 200 Park Ave at East 45th Street Channel your inner superhero and join us for a fun night out at ASTRA’s Night in New York, the signature event for the specialty toy industry. This year’s
superhero-themed party will feature super food and drinks as you as you mix and mingle with friends. Space is limited, so reserve your spot today by visiting astratoy.org/astra-at-toy-fair.asp or by calling the office at 312-222-0984. ASTRA members can attend the party for $75 per person. Your ticket includes an open premium bar, butler-passed hors d’oeuvres, and a four course dinner buffet with dessert.
Monday, February 16 Shared Hospitality Lounge 8 a.m. – 6 p.m. Hall 1E, Room 12 Drop off your coat, grab a beverage, and make it your regular spot for lunch and socializing with your ASTRA friends.
Share the Fair (Retailers Only) 6 p.m. – 7:30 p.m. Hall 1E, Room 6 Now that you’ve had a chance to walk the show floor, join fellow ASTRA retailers to talk about the must-have products you’ve seen at Toy Fair! Be a part of creating the Share the Fair list that helps determine the hot new toy products of 2015.
Tuesday, February 17 Shared Hospitality Lounge 8 a.m. – 4 p.m. Hall 1E, Room 12 Drop off your coat, grab a beverage, and make it your regular spot for lunch and socializing with your ASTRA friends.
Share the Fair Lists Available ASTRA Booth #5849 Come pick up your copy at the ASTRA booth #5849 first thing in the morning to see what ASTRA retailers highlighted as the must-see items at Toy Fair. ASTRA
38 January 2015 • astratoy.org
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News
Volunteer Opportunity V
olunteering for the ASTRA Board of Directors can be a rewarding experience. Sharing your expertise on the industry and business with others in the association is a great way to give back all this industry has given you. If you have the time, expertise and desire to help lead this organization, then take a few minutes to read through the information below about board service.
Four Open Board Positions – Term of June 2015 until June 2018 The Nominating Committee is seeking candidates to apply for four open ASTRA Board positions, each with three-year terms beginning June 2015. The committee is seeking volunteers to fill
three retail member positions and one sales representative member position. Interested ASTRA members are asked to contact Kathleen McHugh at kmchugh@ astratoy.org or by calling 312-222-0984 to receive an application. Applications will be accepted through March 1.
Your Time and Commitment Board and member engagement is critical to a successful tenure on the board. Therefore, ASTRA Board members are expected to take part in regular board conversations at meetings, online and in person. To fully understand the challenges and needs of ASTRA’s membership, board members are expected to be available to respond to members’ concerns, to encour-
age open and honest discussions between members and to be a consistent resource to the staff and committees. ASTRA Board members are expected to take part in all association meetings, social events, online and social media. When appropriate, board members are expected to present or clarify board decisions and positions and to promote the programs of the association.
Face to Face Meetings ASTRA Board members are required to attend all regular meetings of the board. Meetings take place in February at Toy Fair; in June at ASTRA’s annual convention; and the first weekend after Labor Day at a location to be determined. In between meetings, board members may be required to take part in phone calls and email discussions as necessary. Some board members may be assigned the role of board liaison to committees, requiring participation in phone calls of the committee throughout their assignment.
Expenses Board members are reimbursed for travel and hotel expenses to the annual fall meeting. In addition, one night accommodation is paid for by the association for meetings at Toy Fair and the annual convention. Other and additional expenses may be covered by a separate travel policy.
Qualifications Candidates for the Board of Directors must be ASTRA members for a minimum of two years. Candidates must be fully employed within the toy industry with a minimum of two years of experience. It is desirable that candidates have experience as active volunteers in ASTRA or with other constituency-based organizations, or possess similar experience. To review ASTRA’s bylaws, please visit the ASTRA website at astratoy.org. If you have any questions, please contact Kathleen McHugh at 312-222-0984 or kmchugh@astratoy.org. ASTRA
42 January 2015 • astratoy.org
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We apologize to Toyology for omitting this important information in the printed Membership Directory. Please insert this page into your copy of the directory or download the regularly updated directory online under “For Members” at www.astratoy.org.
WEST AND NORTHWEST Carl Buchbinder Principal Toyology Inc. 23679 Calabasas RD, #755 Calabasas, CA 91302 Phone: (800) 834-8833 Fax: (818) 222-4355 Email: sales@toyology.com
Lisa Auerbach Sales Representative Toyology Inc. Showroom LAMART 1933 S. Broadway Suite 446 Los Angeles, CA 90007 Phone: (818) 572-3250 Fax: (818) 671-3100 Email: lisaA@toyology.com
Vince Canelo Sales Representative Toyology Inc. Showroom LAMART 1933 S. Broadway Suite 446 Los Angeles, CA 90007 Phone: (707) 546-5449 Fax: (707) 540-6069 Email: vince@toyology.com
Christina Callan Sales Representative Toyology Inc. Showroom Pacific Market Center 6100 4Th Ave South, Suite 111 Seattle, WA 98108 Phone: (509) 674-2353 Fax: (509) 269-7894 Email: christina@toyology.com
Robin Daykin Sales Representative Toyology Inc. Showroom LAMART 1933 S. Broadway Suite 446 Los Angeles, CA 90007 Phone: (310) 528-1857 Fax: (714) 908-1686 Email: robin@toyology.com
The Magazine for
People Who Sell Toys
Celebrating
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years of toy stories
Rachael Geneson Sales Representative Toyology Inc. Showroom LAMART 1933 S. Broadway Suite 446 Los Angeles, CA 90007 Phone: (510) 703-4953 Fax: (415) 520-5332 Email: rachael@toyology.com
Donna Orvin Sales Representative Toyology Inc. Showroom LAMART 1933 S. Broadway Suite 446 Los Angeles, CA 90007 Phone: (310) 562-2016 Fax: (877) 478-4827 Email: donna@toyology.com
Kathleen Holback Sales Representative Toyology Inc. Showroom Pacific Market Center 6100 4Th Ave South, Suite 111 Seattle, WA 98108 Phone: (425) 785-3951 Fax: (425) 562-4928 Email: krholback@toyology.com
Bruce Reynolds Sales Representative Toyology Inc. Showroom Pacific Market Center 6100 4th Ave South, Suite 111 Seattle, WA 98108 Phone: (360) 829-1706 Fax: (360) 829-4327 Email: bruce@toyology.com
Kathleen Holley Sales Representative Toyology Inc. Showroom Pacific Market Center 6100 4Th Ave South, Suite 111 Seattle, WA 98108 Phone: (503) 285-3469 Fax: (503) 247-9060 Email: kathleen@toyology.com
Denise Sarrail Sales Representative Toyology Inc. Showroom LAMART 1933 S. Broadway Suite 446 Los Angeles, CA 90007 Phone: (909) 599-4311 Fax: (909) 599-4314 Email: denise@toyology.com
Patti Johansen Sales Representative Toyology Inc. Showroom LAMART 1933 S. Broadway Suite 446 Los Angeles, CA 90007 Phone: (209) 603-6749 Fax: (209) 444-0144 Email: patti@toyology.com
Rob Stewart Sales Representative Toyology Inc. Showroom LAMART 1933 S. Broadway Suite 446 Los Angeles, CA 90007 Phone: (310) 422-7935 Fax: (818) 222-4355 Email: rob@toyology.com
Gayle Null Sales Representative Toyology Inc. Showroom LAMART 1933 S. Broadway Suite 446 Los Angeles, CA 90007 Phone: (925) 209-3788 Fax: (510) 372- 0660 Email: gayle@toyology.com
Brandon Stowe Sales Representative Toyology Inc. Showroom Pacific Market Center 6100 4Th Ave South, Suite 111 Seattle, WA 98108 Phone: (503) 206-8876 Fax: (503) 501-4969 Email: brandon@toyology.com
ASTRA
44 January 2015 • astratoy.org
WILD
ABOUT DOUGLAS! ®
Toy Fair Booth 371
1-800-992-9002
DouglasToys.com astratoy.org • January 2015
45
New Members If any of the information below is incorrect, ASTRA truly apologizes. Please contact us immediately at info@astratoy.org.
MANUFACTURERS Acerra Studios Heather Acerra 325 North Prairie St. Galesburg, IL 61401 (309) 370-7943 acerra12@comcast.net Baby Paper Sari Wiaz 2960 Kingston Dr. Buffalo Grove, IL 60089 (847) 821-8085 sari@wizechoicecreations.com www.babypaper.com Captain Creative, Inc. Kevin Sewart 4100 Eldorado Pkwy., Ste. 100-374 McKinney, TX 75070 (773) 991-6087 mrart05@yahoo.com www.captaincreativematerials.com Dreamland Fairy Cassie Slane 277 N Bowman Ave. Merion Station, PA 19066 (646) 621-9090 cassie@dreamlandfairy.com www.dreamlandfairy.com Finger Puppets Inc. Robby Sorensen 48960 Desert Flower Dr. Palm Desert, CA 92260 (800) 941-3203 robby@fingerpuppetsinc.com www.fingerpuppetsinc.com Genetipetz Chris Meade 4225 Wild Partridge Rd. Charlotte, NC 28226 (800) 687-1620 cmeade@genetipetz.com www.genetipetz.com
Geomagworld USA Inc. Chris Merakis 9409 Steamship Manhattan Brewerton, NY 13029 (315) 676-3460 chris.merakis@geomagworld.com HQ Kites & Designs USA Chris Shultz 134 Freedom Ave. Powells Point, NC 27966 (252) 491-2113 chris@hq-kites-usa.com www.hq-kites-usa.com i play Sarah Yerkey 2000 Riverside Dr., Ste. 9 Asheville, NC 28787 (828) 254-9236 sarah.yerkey@iplaybaby.com www.iplaybaby.com
LA SIESTA Inc. Maximilian Grisar 3325 NW 70th Ave. Miami, FL 33122 (786) 401-1138 sales@lasiesta.com www.lasiesta.com
Nilo Toys Nile Ernst 4011 Avenida de la Plata, #302 Oceanside, CA 92056 (760) 842-7730 nile4011@gmail.com www.nilotoys.com
Luna Luka, Inc. Troy Hansford 7152 S. Blackhawk St., Ste. B-18 Englewood, CO 80112 (720) 443-2786 troy@racerrunners.com www.racerrunners.com
Odyssey Toys Sal Irigoyen 20205 NE 23 Ct. Miami, FL 33180 (305) 933-4480 sal@odysseytoys.com www.odysseytoys.com
Mellow Militia/Tiki Toss Kyle McGetrick 625 E. Haley St., Ste. A Santa Barbara, CA 93108 (800) 409-7098 kyle@mellowmilitia.com www.playtikitoss.com
Pathways for Learning Products Toni Schulken 3315 Springbank Lane, Ste. 300 Charlotte, NC 28226 (704) 540-5252 tschulken@carolina.rr.com www.pathwaysforlearning.com
Ingram Publisher Services Carrie Steinbeck 1 Ingram Blvd. La Vergne, TN 37086 (866) 400-5351 sandy.hernandez@ ingramcontent.com www.ingrampublisherservices.com
Mindscope Products Inc George Balanchi PO Box 9525 Glendale, CA 91226 (626) 398-2000 mindscope@aol.com www.mindscopeproducts.com
JRJR Jones Products, LLC Joy Jones 207 Wakefield Rd. Richmond, VA 23221 (804) 652-9114 jrjrjonesproductsllc@gmail.com www.getashelfie.com
MiniLou Carina Gardner 2025 Stratford Dr. Salt Lake City, UT 84109 (801) 793-8294 info@mini-lou.com www.mini-lou.com
Kidkusion Inc. Cyndi Bowen PO Box 1686 Washington, NC 27889 (252) 946-7162 cyndi.bowen@kidkusion.com www.kidkusion.com
MWB Toy Co LLC James Barber 128 East Liberty St., Ste. #5 Danbury, CT 06810 (212) 598-4500 jbarber@mwbtoy.com www.lukestoyfactory.com
Poppy Drops Shelly Coffman PO Box 4472 Parker, CO 80134 (720) 201-1655 shellycoffman@poppydrops.com www.poppydrops.com Sound of Fun LLC Michael Sellinger 1331 Brickell Bay Dr., Ste. 1809 Miami, FL 33131 (917) 514-7007 michael@soundoffun.com www.soundoffun.com Spicebox Steve Rad 12171 Horseshoe Way Richmond, BC V7A 4V4 Canada (604) 272-2620 steve@spiceboxbooks.com www.spiceboxbooks.com
Spin Fly Toys Reuben Guymer 20 Ebony St. Imperial Beach, CA 91932 (858) 539-5599 reuben@spinflytoys.com Sticky Bellies Carly Dorogi 24755 Nepavine Dr. Novi, MI 48374 (248) 515-9314 carly@stickybellies.com Tangle, Inc. Richard Zawitz 385 Oyster Point Blvd., Ste. 8B South San Francisco, CA 94080 (650) 616-7900 info@tanglecreations.com www.tanglecreations.com The Lazy Dog & Co. Kenneth Liu 1 Horizon Rd., Ste. 1001 Fort Lee, NJ 07024 (201) 771-0039 thelazydogco@gmail.com The Petting Zoo Ashley Deutsch 7222 Parkway Dr. Hanover, MD 21076 (410) 760-9792 adeutsch@pettingzooplush.com www.pettingzooplush.com Trussart Designs Elizabeth Trussart PO Box 361 Woodacre, CA 94973 (415) 779-6631 trussartdesigns@hotmail.com www.trussartdesigns.com
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(continued from page 46) Twistie Tips, LLC Victor Beaufrere 23815 230th Pl. SE Maple Valley, WA 98038 (206) 450-5927 victor@twistietips.com www.twistietips.com
Seth Kulics KSM – Kulics Sales and Marketing 340 Arabian Dr. Jordan, MN 55352 (800) 576-9901 sieve2102@gmail.com www.ksmteam.com
Crackerjax, LLC Connie Markovich 27 N. Main St. Ashland, OR 97520 (541) 708-0491 crackerjax363@yahoo.com www.crackerjaxonline.com
Goodthings Tyler Conrad 2184 4th St. White Bear Lake, MN 55110 (651) 426-8006 tyler@shopgoodthings.com www.shopgoodthings.com
Unleash Your Mind Products LLC Cherri Prince 16304 Rock Lake Dr. Odessa, FL 33556 (312) 513-4796 cherri@lollipop-seeds.com www.lollipop-seeds.com
Yanling Li Marketingbazar.com, Inc. 5 Garrison Rd. Wellesley, MA 02482 (312) 391-0161 elaineli539@gmail.com
Creative Junction Renate Sager 7001 Harrison Rd. Fredericksburg, VA 22407 (540) 379-6987 creativestudiomrsb@gmail.com
Happy Hippo JulieAnn Delgrosso 3300 Chamber Rd. South Horseheads, NY 14845 (607) 734-9547 info@christmas-house.com
Mark Michel 2nd Gen Import Export LLC 2866 Genera St. NW Uniontown, OH 44685 (815) 520-5923 klikallc@gmail.com www.klikatoy.com
Destination Toys Kara DeWall 400 Daisy St. Dike, IA 50624 (319) 989-9061 destinationtoys1@gmail.com
Hodgins Drug and Hobby Pam Hays 307 S Main St. Moscow, ID 83843 (208) 882-5536 hodgins@turbonet.com www.hodginsdrug.com
Westco Educational Products Susie Beahm 401 Westcor Dr. Coralville, IA 52241 (866) 657-3450 shoffman@westcoeducation.com Wingo Chris Yang 333 Bush St., #4101 San Francisco, CA 94104 (415) 393-8090 bobo.doer@gmail.com
SALES REPRESENTATIVES Stephan Hall Mansa Education Group 444 N. Michigan Ave., Ste. 1200 Chicago, IL 60611 (312) 369-0327 stephan.hall23@gmail.com Dave Kulics KSM – Kulics Sales and Marketing 340 Arabian Dr. Jordan, MN 55352 (800) 576-9901 diamonddave711@hotmail.com www.ksmteam.com
RETAILERS Big Fun Steve Presser 1814 Coventry Rd. Cleveland Heights, OH 44118 (216) 371-4386 steve@bigfunbigfun.com www.bigfunbigfun.com Brains ‘N Motion Zoe Rosas 410 Ave Esmeralda, Urb Ponce de Leon Guaynabo, PR 969 (787) 409-9885 zoerosa@brainsnmotion.com www.brainsnmotion.com Copper Creek Mercantile Tammy Strampe 15 S. Main St., PO Box 665 Joseph, OR 97846 (541) 432-1001 coppercreekmerc@gmail.com
Elephants and Dinosaurs Mike Lebarre 1047 Lake St. Oak Park, IL 60301 (708) 386-2005 mikelebarre@ elephantsanddinosaurs.com www.elephantsanddinosaurs.com ePuppets, Inc. Daniel Bryan 306 N. Mt. Shasta Blvd. Mt. Shasta, CA 96067 (530) 859-3907 danieljbryan@yahoo.com www.ePuppets.com Frankenmuth Gift Shop Inc. Katie Zehnder 925 S. Main St., Bldg H4 Frankenmuth, MI 48734 (989) 652-8226 kmzehnder@bavarianinn.com Giggle Monkey Toys John Clower 104 Public Square North Dahlonega, GA 30533 (706) 429-8574 gigglemonkey@windstream.net www.gigglemonkeytoys.com
Kaplan Early Learning Company – Kaplan Toys Connie Ellis 1310 Lewisville Clemmons Rd. Lewisville, NC 27023 (336) 712-3271 cellis@kaplanco.com www.kaplantoys.com Kids Stop Sonia Obstler 3401 Woodvalley Dd. Pikesville, MD 21208 (410) 653-2410 sales@kidsstopinc.com www.kidsstopinc.com Kremer’s Toy and Hobby Ruth Kremer 11011 61st St. NE #120 Albertville, MN 55301 (763) 497-2777 ruthk@kremerstoyandhobby.com www.kremerstoyandhobby.com
Looplaloo Richelle Webster 5305 51st Ave. Cold Lake, AB T9M 0H2 Canada (780) 661-3025 richelle@looplaloo.com www.looplaloo.com Marmalade Kids, LLC Chantal Necchi 25310 Piney Bend Ct. Spring, TX 77389 (337) 552-6172 chantalnecchi@yahoo.com Miss Amy’s Toys Amy Richardson 987 La Noche Dr. San Marcos, CA 92078 (760) 716-8025 missamy@live.com www.missamystoys.com My Special Toy Store Kathy Burns 5137 Main St. Downers Grove, IL 60515 (630) 660-5984 kadfjb@yahoo.com Na2ure Rosie Pohlmann 235 East 22nd St., #2N New York, NY 10010 (646) 942-4377 sales@na2ure.com www.na2ure.com Queen Baby Bean, INC/ DBA Happiloo Lisa Haskins 26 W. Main St. New Market, MD 21774 (703) 362-5637 info@happiloo.com www.happiloo.com
Legacy Toys Brad Ruoho 5 N. Central Ave. Ely, MN 55731 (855) 328-8697 sales@legacytoys.com www.legacytoys.com (continued on page 50)
48 January 2015 • astratoy.org
An essential ingredient to every toybox, every childhood, every generation. See a world of puppets at www.folkmanis.com 0r call 1-800-654-8922 for a free catalog. Visit us at all major gift and toy shows.
astratoy.org • January 2015
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(continued from page 48) S.W. Randall Toyes and Giftes Maclain Eardley 630 Smithfield St. Pittsburgh, PA 15222 (412) 562-9252 swrandall@swrandalltoys.com www.swrandalltoys.com Southerland Station Nikki Skidmore 2362 Whitesburg Ave. Huntsville, AL 35801 (256) 533-4720 skidmore.nikki@yahoo.com www.southerlandstation.com Sticks and Stones Shop, LLC Jennifer Ghannam 16 Seminary Ave. Hopewell, NJ 08525 (609) 466-6536 info@sticksandstoneshopewell.com www.sticksandstonesshop.com
To Be Determined Anthony Moore 1710 Gone Away Ln. Wheaton, IL 60189 (847) 226-9982 apmoore1@yahoo.com
The Treasured Child Ellen Troutman 115 E. Main St. LaGrange, KY 40031 (502) 225-9646 windymeadowasst@gmail.com
The Giggle Box Rachael Beck 6803 Fox Sedge Ct. Eldersburg, MD 21784 (410) 795-0052 giggleboxfun@gmail.com
The Wonder Emporium Dana Chavez 2436 W. Whittier Blvd. La Habra, CA 90631 (562) 691-2360 info@thewonder emporiumtoystore.com www.thewonder emporiumtoystore.com
The Toy Box Justin Archbold 1980 Festival Plaza Dr., Ste. 175 Las Vegas, NV 89135 (702) 776-8690 toyboxlasvegas@gmail.com www.toyboxlasvegas.com
The Wooden Toy David Ekwall 1273 Silas Deane Hwy. Wethersfield, CT 06109 (860) 529-1945 wtoydwe@cs.com www.thewoodentoy.com Toy Gallery LLC Anita Kleinman 470 Route 35 Redbank, NJ 07701 (732) 224-1332 toygallerymiddletown@verizon.net
Toys N More Anthony Fell 1250 Lloyd Center Mall Portland, OR 97232 (503) 281-4530 anthony@toysnmore.com Wings of the Wind Kites & Toys Mark & Susan Adams 5420 E. Central Wichita, KS 67208 (316) 684-8383 wingsofthewindkites@gmail.com www.wingsofthewindkites.com
ASTRA
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Welcomes Its Newest Manufacturer Members Acerra Studios Galesburg, IL Express the diversity and wonder of the world with Lux artisan blocks. Lux is the ultimate S.T.E.M. toy, employing the natural governing principles that unite art, science, mathematics and engineering. Lux demonstrates mechanical principles in a manner never seen in a construction toy. Discover your inner genius with Lux.
HQ Kites & Designs USA Powells Point, NC hq-kites-usa.com We’re not just kites! Sure, HQ Kites & Designs has been building high-quality kites for over 20 years. But now we offer hot selling R/C Toys, Airgliders, Spacerails, Calafant, the largest selection of Pustefix in the USA, Aerobie, William Mark and more!
Baby Paper Buffalo Grove, IL babypaper.com Baby Paper is a simple yet effective baby toy. With its low price point, a basket of Baby Paper is an easy sell! Retailers love our policy of never selling direct to the consumer! We link your website to ours, to help drive business to local brick and mortar stores.
i play Asheville, NC iplaybaby.com We are a values-based and family-oriented company that provides healthy products for babies’ early development. Through our collaboration with responsible and openminded partners, we strive to create a healthier, happier world by sharing our commitment to whole living.
Captain Creative, Inc. McKinney, TX captaincreativematerials.com Captain Creative is a company that focuses on providing unique and creative products that are educational in nature, for classrooms and homes all over the world. The majority of our products are made in the United States such as our paint products, sponges, carpets and most of our teacher products.
JRJR Jones Products, LLC Richmond, VA getashelfie.com Shelfie is a new, unique and simple solution to a universal problem for parents – water on the bathroom floor! Water on the bathroom floor is more than a mess – it’s a hazard. Shelfie creates play space on the tub ledge and contains water! Connect on social media: @getashelfie.
Dreamland Fairy Merion Station, PA dreamlandfairy.com A mom-owned company, Dreamland Fairy’s creators are Cassie Slane and Ami Van Dine. Cassie and Ami’s 6-year-old daughters invented the idea of a fairy house that attracted a fairy while they slept. Dreamland Fairy includes a wooden fairy house, paint, glitter and the storybook “Dreamland Fairy.”
Mellow Militia / Tiki Toss Santa Barbara, CA playtikitoss.com Easy to learn but difficult to master, Tiki Toss is described as addictive, competitive and “the life of the party.” Fun for all ages, Tiki Toss is a great addition to any patio, game room or anywhere that people gather. Crafted from solid bamboo and praised for quality and design. Get hooked!
Finger Puppets, Inc. Palm Desert, CA fingerpuppetsinc.com The tradition has been proudly handed down from generation to generation. All of our finger puppets are handmade by a number of artist collectives from the rural areas of the Peruvian high plains. We source ethically, practice fair trade principles and strive to help these artisans extend their products’ reach.
MiniLou Salt Lake City, UT mini-lou.com MiniLou is a creative play kit company dedicated to bringing unique, sweet and imaginative products to families. Our wonderfully illustrated products include mini coloring books, paper dolls (our signature pocket paper pals), bookmarks and coloring blocks. MiniLou products are uniquely sized for easy travel in mom’s purse.
Genetipetz Charlotte, NC genetipetz.com Genetics + pets = Genetipetz – the wacky, mixed-up stuffed animals designed and voted on by creative kids. Genetipetz ignite scientific curiosity, celebrate diversity and link online and offline creative play. What do you get if you mix a cow and a giraffe? A Mooraffe, of course!
52 January 2015 • astratoy.org
MWB Toy Co LLC Danbury, CT lukestoyfactory.com MWB Toy Co manufactures toys under the Luke’s Toy Factory brand name. Our toys are made here in the USA from safe and sustainable materials. Our first toy is a stacking fire truck, designed in a classic woodworker’s style, but made with recycled sawdust and plastic.
Odyssey Toys Miami, FL odysseytoys.com Odyssey Toys is a rapidly growing, dynamic company dedicated to designing, manufacturing and distributing the finest hi-tech toys and electronic gadgets at very affordable prices. Our business has grown steadily because we offer unique products which are easy to demonstrate and easy to sell, and we guarantee the fun! We count some of the larger mass merchants as our retail partners, as well a wide variety of independent dealers and small chains. Poppy Drops Parker, CO poppydrops.com Poppy Drops are products designed to help kids stay young and have fun! Products include vegetable-based, temporary tattoo jewelry and nail art and all-natural Perfume Sticks and Lip Luster! We create simple solutions for modern kids and families, while providing independent fun – without any hassle. Eco-conscious and made in the USA. Sound of Fun LLC Miami, FL soundoffun.com Sound of Fun is the USA distributor for Kiddimoto wooden balance bikes and Roomii ride-on toy chests. Kiddimoto combines sleek British design with stylish graphics, while Roomii imaginatively combines form and function to make clean-up fun. Developmentally, both products help children improve balance, while building motor skills and core strength. Spicebox Richmond, BC Canada spiceboxbooks.com Spicebox is a developer and publisher of deluxe activity kits and children’s toys, combining arts and crafts with games and activities to support creative development! Our products are non-toxic, using only the highest quality materials, along with engaging projects and content, designed to inspire, educate and entertain. Sticky Bellies Novi, MI stickybellies.com Sticky Bellies manufactures adorable photography props to help parents document their child’s growth and milestones in the easiest and cutest way! Products include a large range of monthly milestone stickers for babies and The Birthday Poster for children of ANY age. Free POS displays with all orders.
Tangle, Inc. San Francisco, CA tanglecreations.com At Tangle Creations we have created educational, therapeutic and specialty play Tangles for over 32 years. Our newest innovation is the Nightball Collection – waterproof and airless sports balls that light up upon impact and movement. Please join us as we continue to evolve the future of creativity and play! The Lazy Dog & Co. Fort Lee, NJ The Lazy Dog & Co. is a boutique importer of unique and innovative toys. We are the exclusive U.S. distributor of Light Stax – illuminated construction blocks that magically glow with colorful light as you stack them. Trussart Designs Woodacre, CA trussartdesigns.com Trussart Designs offers the finest art and craft materials for kids from Europe and Latin America. Unique TruTru Animals 3D Modeling Craft Kits are designed especially for independent toy stores. Premium quality Jolly colored pencils and paints from the mountains of Austria enchant little artists. Twistie Tips, LLC Maple Valley, WA twistietips.com Twistie Tips is the creator of the newest and most unique collectible children’s accessory. Instantly twist these 3D charms on to the tips of any drawstring to add flair to your favorite shoes, hoodies, shorts and more! Ages 4+. Unleash Your Mind Products LLC Odessa, FL lollipop-seeds.com Lollipop Seeds that Sprout for Kind Deeds, was created to celebrate the magic of kindness during Easter. Prior to Easter, children must do something kind for someone. On Easter Eve, they toss the magic seeds in the grass and mark the seeds. When they wake on Easter, lollipops will have “sprouted,” not by water or sun, but by kindness instead. Westco Educational Products Coralville, IA Westco is a musical instrument company specializing in hand percussion and movement products for all ages. We partner with you to select products specific to your market needs and customers. Our goal is to create a collection that meets your goals for product selection, price point and margin potential. ASTRA
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TOY TIMES MAGAZINE, January 2015 Index of Advertisers ALEX
43, Back Cover
alextoys.com
Blue Orange Games
13
blueorangegames.com
Crayon Rocks
32
crayonrocks.net
Crorey Creations, Inc.
25
myfbm.com
DeLano/EPI Printing Inc.
32
epiinc.com
Douglas Company
45
douglascuddletoy.com
Elenco
42
elenco.com
Extra by Mayflower
15
extrabymayflower.com
Folkmanis
49
Franklin Fixtures
50
GALT
17, 35
Games Workshop
26,27
Guidecraft
19
GUND
Jax Ltd Inc.
47
jaxgames.com
Legendary Games
54
pocketfarkel.com
LuLu Press, Inc.
10
lulu.com
Merchant Technologies
55
mtpos.com
The Orb Factory
37
orbfactory.com
PlanToys
51
plantoysusa.com
Safari Ltd.
9
safariltd.com
Saturnian 1, Inc.
23
sat1sport.com
folkmanis.com
Sentosphere USA
18
sentosphereusa.com
franklinfixtures.com
TEDCO Toys, Inc.
12
tedcotoys.com
galttoys.com
Thames & Kosmos
21
thamesandkosmos.com
games-workshop.com
TMI Toymarketing
31
toydirectory.com
guidecraft.com
Toy Collection/CSI Inc.
11
toycollectionretailer.com
29
gund.com
ToyFest West - WTHRA
4
Harrisville Designs
30
harrisville.com
Toysmith
22
IAmElemental
31
iamelemental.com
U.S. Games Systems
2
InRoad Toys
41
inroadtoys.com
Winning Moves
33
winning-moves.com
Jacquard Products
24
jacquardproducts.com
Zeenie Dollz LLC
36
zeeniedollz.com
toyfestwest.com toysmith.com usgamesinc.com
ASTRA
54 January 2015 • astratoy.org
Visit us at Toy Fair Booth #5517
“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!
astratoy.org • January 2015
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56 January 2015 • astratoy.org