Coffee Break - with Big Potato Games account manager Hannah Cornish

Owner, Wigwam Toys Brighton, East Sussex

Tell us about Wigwam Toys.

I took over the business in 2012. The shop is in the Fiveways area of Brighton, about 35 minutes’ walk from the town centre. We only have a small physical space and we run our webshop from the same premises, so we have to be creative with our displays (sometimes I think about hanging things from the ceiling if we get desperate!). How would you describe your range?

We have the classics that you would expect to see in a toy shop such as LEGO, Playmobil, Jellycat and Sylvanian Families, but we specialise in retro style, design-led and unusual toys and gifts that you won’t find in the supermarkets or chain stores, including beautiful books and small emerging brands. This means we always have something fresh for our customers to look at.

When I’m looking for a new product, it must pass the ‘would I?’ test: wouldI buy it? And would I give it to my children or my friends’ children? If the answer is no, then it doesn’t make the cut. I want customers to be able to put together a gift, or treat their children to something that is good value. By that I don’t just mean financially, but something that does what it says it does, and can withstand plenty of play and not fall apart. I also look out for brands with a good story and ethos - be it their environmental stance, brand values or fair trade practices. How has reopening been for you?

We have rearranged the shop floor to keep everyone safe, and altered our staffing so that only one of us is on the premises at any time, so if anyone gets sick, there’s someone to step in.

Over the past year, with the move to online shopping due to lockdown, we saw a big increase in sales, which has slowed now the shops have reopened. It’s been lovely to see our customers again: I can’t believe how big all the kids have got since we were last open!

In-store sales are slightly lower than this time pre-Covid in 2019, which is to be expected. I think [the pandemic] has made many people think carefully about their spending. But increasingly customers tell us they have consciously chosen to ‘Shop Local’ and support indie stores and businesses, which is really encouraging. Has there been a change in footfall patterns?

We used to be able to confidently predict the busier and quieter days of the week, but this has dramatically changed since reopening. We are in a residential area, so our customers are largely locals rather than tourists. With many people still working from home, they are able to shop through the week rather than only at weekends, so there’s been a levelling across the week - on most days, turnover is roughly the same. What’s selling well?

We’ve noticed a slight shift in favour of higher-priced items. If parents are buying for their own children, they are moving to less volume, more quality. Children’s spending remains largely the same: on pocket money toys - and we’ve seen huge demand for fidget toys. Pokémon is still going strong. It’s always been a good seller, but demand has really increased because we’ve seen big supply shortages. Whenever we put new Pokémon online, it goes really quickly.

We’ve started stocking more mindfulness products for children and books about the world around us - bugs and beetles, back garden safari, things to spot on walks and so on – which have been selling in much greater quantities. I think lockdown got more families out in nature together, and it’s sparked an interest. I wonder if we’ll see an increase in budding naturalists in the future! What are your predictions for summer trading? TNP catches up with Big Potato Games account manager for Southern UK and Ireland Hannah Cornish to find out more about the company’s plans

What’s your background?

I’ve dabbled in a few industries, but previously I was at Groupon, and before that I was working for a toy and games consultancy focusing mainly in international.

Tell us a bit about your company.

Big Potato Games is an independent board games company based in London. We specialise in party games for kids, families and adults for most group sizes. I think we have a game for every occasion but somehow, we keep coming up with more great ideas!

What’s your working week like?

During lockdown, I was home-based. But now everything is opening back up, I will be on the road for a few days a week visiting customers and checking out new locations where our games would sell well. A lot of my customers are indie toy shops and board game cafes so I talk to them to see what’s selling, what’s not and how we can help drive sales.

What’s keeping you busy at the moment?

All the indies opening back up again is keeping me busy; making sure they have everything they need now that people are allowed back in shops.

What are your goals for 2021?

To build some of our retailers’ businesses and increase our presence in independent department stores and gift stores in tourist destinations.

What big launches and marketing campaigns can we look forward to this year?

I'm really excited about Nice Buns! It's such a cute game - our creative team has done an amazing job on the artwork and the game play is fun. Another one I can’t wait for is our brand new social deduction game called Snakesss: the packaging features a cool optical illusion, and we predict it’s going to be one of our big hits this year.

Which toy do you wish would make a comeback?

I used to collect Beanie Babies with my mum and sister when I was younger, and we were convinced they would be worth something one day. We now have a lot in the loft, so if they make a comeback like Pokémon cards, that would be great!

Finally, what’s your coffee break beverage of choice?

I love a cold brew coffee. Doesn't matter on the weather, iced coffee all the way.