The Little Shop Around the Corner Gets Bigger
by Tina Manzer There are more than 70 specialty toy stores scattered throughout New York State, says ASTRA’s 2017 Membership Directory, but only one…
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Ready, Set, SELL!
by Tina Manzer It’s GO time for the holidays at Snoozy’s Kids near Birmingham, Alabama. “We need to do what we do, and do…
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Play MAINE-iacs
by Jenn Bergin photo by Nanette Faye Photography Rainbow Toys was a “sweet, sleepy little shop” when Juliette Steinbach first discovered it more…
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Stores Like Yours
Traveling to ASTRA’s Marketplace? Use it as an opportunity to shop the stores like yours – the independents whose unique and ever-changing product mix…
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The Shops Keeper
by Jenn Bergin In 2003, Stacy Smith, a former interior designer, opened an eclectic gift boutique in Marietta, Georgia, one of Atlanta’s largest…
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Treasure Island
by Jenn Bergin Overflowing with toys and trinkets, 35-year-old Calico Toy Shoppe is considered a community gem. Located on Bainbridge Island in Puget…
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Season Opener
by Jenn Bergin Each year, North Carolina-based Toys & Co. kicks off the fourth-quarter selling season early. During the first week of October, the…
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Next Stop, Fun and Games
by Jenn Bergin Faith and Walter Gil love welcoming kids into Lollipop Station, their toy and candy store in Culpeper, Virginia. And they…
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A Blossoming Business
Learning Sprout Toys Celebrates 20 Years by Jenn Bergin Rose Calvin is in the business of making kids happy, and she’s a…
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Service Obsession
Shelves full of shiny new products won’t matter if you fail to focus on service by Tina Manzer After struggling through years of…
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