11/07/2024
by Victoria Ritter
Toy stores have always been places of wonder and fun for Megan Wyatt. As the proud co-owner of Wit & Whimsy Toys in Granite Bay, California with her husband Joe Wyatt, she seeks to instill that same sense of excitement and amazement in her employees and customers.
Megan’s first job was working at a toy store when she was 16 years old. She continued her career in retail, all the while harboring the dream of operating her own store. Four years ago, she got her chance.
“I just love selling toys,” Megan said. “I love the customer service aspect of retail, making connections with people and helping people find something that maybe they didn’t know they needed. It’s that look on their face when you show them the right item that they were looking for.”
In the summer of 2020, Megan, who had become unemployed at the start of the pandemic, was helping a friend relocate their gift shop into a strip mall in Granite Bay. The friend noted a vacant area next door and suggested that a toy store would be a great fit. Megan talked it over with Joe, and three months later, the couple opened Wit & Whimsy Toys in November. “So many things lined up for us that we were like, ‘We got to give this a shot!’” Megan recalled.
More room for play
Megan was quick to learn how to navigate the ups and downs of her own toy store. She dispelled her assumption that she needed business knowledge to successfully operate be a retailer, learning lessons as she went. While her initial inventory was limited, she listened to customers and did her best to appeal to what they were looking for. The ongoing pandemic posed additional challenges such as mask mandates and social distancing; Megan and Joe navigated the situation by being flexible and adapting as things came up.
“It’s ok if you don’t know everything,” Megan said. “Learning is part of the journey.”
Another challenge soon presented itself: a lack of space. The 900-square-foot store, which had been just the right size four years previously, had become confining. Megan wanted to expand the store’s inventory and host more in-person events.
In mid-August of this year, Wit & Whimsy Toys moved across the complex to a 2,700-square-foot space. The new location draws in more foot traffic and feels less crowded. As a result, customers are spending more time in the store and noticing products that they had previously passed by in the old store. Sales have bumped up since the move, giving Megan hope that this is a new normal.
“I’m cautiously optimistic about the holiday season this year because we have more inventory, we have more space and new people are finding us,” Megan said.
Fun in flux
The store’s final layout is yet to be determined, as Megan and Joe are still experimenting with the store’s flow. However, they have settled on breaking out the store by section, with areas for puzzles, science-themed activities, art and baby products.
There are 5,500 SKUs in stock, and inventory is conducted manually after the holidays. The store carries a couple hundred brands, including MagnaTiles, Epoch Everlasting Play, Eurographics and Squishables.
A majority of Wit & Whimsy Toys’ inventory comes from manufacturers that Megan and Joe meet at trade shows, including Astra Marketplace & Academy and ToyFest. Megan highly encourages her fellow retailers to attend trade shows where they can establish relationships. “Sometimes you feel like an island, running your store and focusing on your store,” she stated. “Then I get to go to the shows and talk with other toy store owners. We get ideas from each other; I hear what’s going on in their toy store and get to feel that camaraderie. If there are other toy store owners who don’t get to go to shows that much, I can’t recommend it enough. It’s made such a difference for me.”
Wit & Whimsy Toys also carries lesser-known products that Megan finds on Instagram. One example is Rainbow Unicorn Rescue, which is among the store’s top five bestselling games. “I love finding little things like that,” Megan said. “You’re not going to find them in a lot of places, so they feel special.”
Current top sellers are bead kits, slime, sensory toys like NeeDoh Nice Cube, games – especially Taco Goat Cheese Pizza – and Jellycat plush. Popular trends that Megan has seen among customers are blind boxes, axolotls, capybaras and Calico Critters.
“I feel strongly about toys and the power of play,” Megan stated. “I enjoy being able to bring in toys that I play with myself. If I don’t love it or don’t see the value of it, I don’t bring it in. Then I can relay it to customers.”
Creating a culture of fun
There is much that Megan enjoys about working at Wit & Whimsy Toys. The connections with customers are the most important aspect. Megan appreciates the relationships she and Joe are building between themselves, customers and the community.
Of the five part-time employees that work at the store, three started out as customers. Whenever a young patron expresses how much they enjoy coming to the store, Megan hints that they should consider working at the store when they come of age.
“I had such a great experience when I was 16 working at a toy store. It’s really important to me to build that same culture as the owner. We all vibe together and mesh together,” Megan shared, adding that the store is a first-time job for a couple employees. “I really want to give them the same experience I had.”
Providing a quality in-store experience is a high priority for Megan, and the new location offers more space for on-site events. In the past, Wit & Whimsy Toys hosted Grown-Up Game Night at a nearby brewery (which is now conveniently located next door). On the last Thursday of the month, guests come to play two to three games and have a chance to win a game at the end of the night. Everyone receives a 10 percent discount on their next game purchase in the store.
The event turned out to be a great way to introduce patrons to new games and “sparked local trends in game buying” based on the products featured. “We started getting adult customers who liked playing games on an adult level with other people, but didn’t have the community for that,” Megan said. “We thought we’d give it a try and see what happened. After the first one, we got such a positive response.” Grown-Up Game Nights will continue alongside new in-store activities including story time, craft activity days, birthday parties and more.
Wit & Whimsy Toys is also active in the community. It has sponsored local sports teams and donated gift baskets for fundraisers for organizations and schools. One noteworthy partnership is with My Mother’s Voice, a nonprofit that supplies books to Title 1 schools. Wit & Whimsy Toys works closely with the nonprofit to host a Giving Tree around the holidays and book drives that benefit families.
“It’s really important to me that the store is not just a store to people,” Megan said. “I’ve always wanted it to be part of the community. It’s such a great way for people to come in and engage with us and each other.”
