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Original poster

????What kind of toy shop do you like????

51 replies

Skribble · 08/02/2006 01:23

Ok its another one of my daft research threads. I have been looking at more premises for a toy shop and I have found a quite cheap but large shop.

Thing is what can I do in addition to the current pocket money toys I already do? Loads of room and I am hoping to split rent and responsibility with my friend.

Ideas so far, rent side room to friend for dog grooming.

We could do craft sessions for kids, my freind and myself are both nursery nurses. (tempt mums with free coffee). Mums I have spoke to like the idea of the pottery painting places but have found the one in the town to be very unfreindly and unhelpful as well as expensive.

We could offer kids craft parties either with or without food. Could do other themes as well as crafts.

Difficult to think about what other people would want. I am asking as many mums as I can what they think is lacking in the High Street in terms of kids and toys. At the moment there are no science/discovery type shops like Natural World. Some have suggested a kid/ family freindly cafe but I don't think the place I am looking at would get consent for that.

Rent and rates would be about £200 a week am I kidding myself?

OP posts:
Original poster
Skribble · 08/02/2006 15:29

Its true I will have to look more into what is offered for toddlers as mine are older and i am out of touch with the toddler social scene .

There is another craft place but it is quite pricey and charges a studio fee before you even pay for the actual thing you want to make. I will have to take the kids to it and see exactly what is on offer.

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Original poster
Skribble · 08/02/2006 22:10

Piccy of shop .

It is up a cobbled lane opposite a tearoom, great summer tourist potential. Just 20m off the high street, lane is between Next and Monsoon.

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charliecat · 08/02/2006 22:23

This place is permanently busy for adults in the evening, kids for parties, heaving and popular and even though I thought OMG how poncy, really good fun and you find your self recommending it to everyone Great idea to steal and put in another town lol!

PandaG · 08/02/2006 22:26

Looks great - as I said on your other thread think you have some great ideas. Keep us posted! Whereabouts (roughly) are you, wd make a point of coming if were in the area once you are up and running?

Original poster
Skribble · 08/02/2006 22:27

Thanks links like this muh appreciated as the two we have near us are much the same and a bit crap. Having a look at their party bit right now.

OP posts:
Original poster
Skribble · 08/02/2006 22:30

Had a look the minimum for parties is £12 and that doesn't seem to include food, and if you want to paint a egg cup it would cost you £9. Wow I wouldn't expect people to pay that. A party for 10 kids would cost £120 pound and then you still have to get food in.

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charliecat · 08/02/2006 22:33

They do eat there...and from what i can gather from dd1 age 8 the partys are given an item, egg cup, mug, plate ...whatever I guess the parent has chosen. They also charge extra for drinks.
Me and my sister went and spent 40 quid between us in an hour. Loved it...

Original poster
Skribble · 08/02/2006 22:35

Yes I checked £12 includes item to be painted but you have to bring own food. Am I out of touch is this what parents expect to pay for a party?

OP posts:
charliecat · 08/02/2006 22:38

I guess compared to 8.99 for dirty smelly playcentre its quite good value. The staff are lovely and attentive too...not grumpy couldnt give a toss staff!

Original poster
Skribble · 08/02/2006 22:46

I can be lovely and attentive for less than £12 .

Lots of thinking to do, it would actually cost less to devote part of shop to a party venue than it would to fit out the whole shop.

I would hope to do a package that included food by using Tearoom opposite to provide food and drinks.

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charliecat · 08/02/2006 22:51

Sounds very good

KateF · 08/02/2006 23:20

dd1 had her 6th birthday party at a craft cafe. The two ladies did the painting bit for an hour then I had use of the party room upstairs for an hour for the tea and games. So I did the food and party bags etc and paid £10 per child for the craft bit. It was a minimum of 10 children. It was a lovely party and much nicer than the Brewsters/Activity World/MacDonalds type IMO.

KateF · 08/02/2006 23:23

Sorry, meant to add I think your idea is great-my dds would want to come and live there

Original poster
Skribble · 08/02/2006 23:32

Thanks I can see why this is appealling, The thought of trying to keep an eye on 10/15 kids in a big softplay venue terrifies me.

It seems like boys are very negleted when it comes to parties, I have been googling and its all fairies, makeovers and discos. What do boys over the age of 5 do apart from soft play barns???

OP posts:
charliecat · 08/02/2006 23:33

Pirate Painting Party, with face painting and food

Original poster
Skribble · 08/02/2006 23:44

I can see it is going to be a bonus to have a friend who is a ace facepainter and very creative. For boys I was thinking creepycrawlies, volcanos, model cars, mega bubbles.

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Original poster
Skribble · 09/02/2006 23:17

BUMP

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Original poster
Skribble · 10/02/2006 21:20

OK forgetting about parties for now-

What makes you think Oh Lets have a look in this toy shop?
What puts you off before you even go in?
What would make you keep coming back and stop you from straying to the likes of ELC for the younger ones and toymaster for your older ones?
Have you seen similar shops starting up then closing, what do you think were their failings?

Its worrying that I have seen loads of small independant shops open then close after 1/2 years. Some its obvious why they failed others its difficult to see where they went wrong.

My main competition would be ELC, Woolworths and Toymaster type shop. There are no traditional style toy shops or Naturalworld type places. I have the added bonus that the town is popular in the summer with holidaymakers and foreign tourists and the lane leads from the high street to a historical builing that is in all the guides, even the lane is mentioned in most.

Ok so the negitives I have to get round are-
Kids will need picked up from school which is 30m round trip from shop.
Can't afford to pay for assistant escpecially one responsible enough to be left for half an hour each day.
Freind that I would go into partnership with would have to give up 30 hrs paid work to be in shop. She could just do afternoons I suppose and tha parties and still do other work in the mornings.
No capital to fit out, stock up and pay initial rent. I have a range of stock I am slowly building up but it wouldn't go far in a shop.
I am absolutly bricking it. I am sure there are more negatives i haven't even thought of yet.

OP posts:
Whizzz · 10/02/2006 21:25

What makes you think Oh Lets have a look in this toy shop? - lots of interesting looking things - stock that changes & doesn't always look the same. Things out of boxes so you can see them properly

What puts you off before you even go in? If there is not enough room for prams/buggys r if its too full

What would make you keep coming back - changing stock / displays & good bargains

Go for it Skribble! Where is the shop ?

Original poster
Skribble · 10/02/2006 21:28

Not telling on here . I don't want lots of M netters coming in and giving me knowing looks after I have been discussing mooncups and school uniforms .

I will have loads of room for buggies (well hardly any stock I thought about a buggy park so kids can get out of buggy and use the come and try tables and craft activities.

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notasheep · 10/02/2006 21:30

Skribble-sell ORCHARD toys and i would look in your toy shop

I went to a great toy shop in London-it did kids haircuts,just a thought!

Whizzz · 10/02/2006 21:32

Actually - thinking about it, we went in a great toy shop in Cornwall can't remember where it was but it was full of good toys. Traditional stuff & the lady working there encouraged you to pick things up & have a play. Felt really welcoming without being pushy.

Original poster
Skribble · 10/02/2006 21:34

A lot of people have said when looking at my stock on the stall that it is very original and they haven't seen some of it before or since they were kids. I get a lot of stuff direct from a german company. My other main supplier supplys to lots of museum shops and visitor centres. Almost everything will be under £5 with at least 60% of that being £1 or less. Free gift wrapping of course, I was inspired by the gift shops I was in in Denmark and a lovely one in Paris similar to ELC but they wrap your purchases and stick on a lolly. ( I wouldn't put lollies on before the anti sugar brigade get excited ).

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Original poster
Skribble · 10/02/2006 21:38

I like the orchard toys but I think they are a bit over my budget.
Any other good shops you know of? Any Scottish ones so I can go and visit, I seem to spend a lot of time checking out sweet and toy shops in the name of research, (great sweetshop in Oban BTW).

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nooka · 10/02/2006 22:18

Most toy shops to me seem very disappointing. I have a 5 & 6 year old, and finding nice toys for them, or presents when they have birthday parties is always difficult. I would like somewhere that sold good family games, maybe with reviews, or help as to whether they are suitable? Most toy shops have fairly shirty / uninformed assistants IME. I am sure I would buy an excessive amount from somewhere that gave me good ideas. I also like good crafty stuff and ideas, so somewhere that had books would be good. Finally I would love somewhere to go and do crafty/experiemental things with my children. I am a bit cackhanded, but love doing that sort of thing, and somewhere with someone to show me how to do it would be great. ds would love a sciency sort of party - I would pay quite a bit for that. Getting food from a tea room would also appeal to me, as I am assuming that there would be an element of choice, and also you could have it so that families could either bring or order food (we have a local play place that does this, and I much prefer it to the old chicken nuggets routine, although they do have arrangements with PizzaHut too I think). Good luck with it all!

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