Games, Playthings and Plush

Which Toys (From page 166)

The one toy he cannot keep in stock because it has so much appeal for customers comes from Magnum Brand, he reported. “They have rubber-band guns and wooden swords and shields, and we cannot keep the swords and shields in stock. We are always reordering them.”

To find the best toys for his store, Powers primarily visits trade shows, and will be attending a show in Minneapolis, Minn., in a few weeks. “Vendors and sales reps just don’t come up here.”

Powers displays his store’s selection by type of toy. “We have a science section, a boating section, a doll section, dinosaurs, games, puzzles, they each have their own area.” The only by-age grouping in the 4,200-square-foot store is a section for one through three-year-old children.

And in the Tacoma, Wash. area, at Curious Bear in Fircrest, Manager Anne Wiley described her best-seller as “Spin Again by Fat Brain Toys. It’s for all ages, and it’s something virtually anyone can get excited about.” Two other hits are Air Fort, which she described as “something that feels very different for families to do together, and pop fidgets for the ‘tween age. “But the one must-have toy for the store would be Spin Again,” she asserted. “The toy operates as a stacker, with each piece spinning down a rod. Kids, babies, parents, really all ages just like it and it remains our top seller.” Wiley also has a personally popular favorite, a Maileg mouse. “It’s a tiny stuffed toy inside a matchbox. And it’s just adorable.”

The store finds its toy selection in several ways. “We have many reps who come in, and sometimes we see something different on Instagram. You’re always influenced by what you see, and hope to stay on top of the trends.”

The 1,800-square-foot store displays its selection with seasonal exhibits at the front of the store, and groupings both by age and type of toy throughout. “For example, we have all our puzzles together, but within the puzzle section, we group the toys by age. That said, to some extent everything is dictated by where we can fit an item in our space.”

In short, the toy store “toy story” may differ somewhat from store to store, but learning toys, quality toys, and classics, are among the most popular. ❖