Neighborhood Toy Store Day is This Saturday!

The third annual Neighborhood Toy Store day, an event put together by the American Specialty Toy and Retailing Association (ASTRA), is quickly approaching, Saturday November 10th to be exact, and I really wish that our town still had a toy store to frequent.  There used to be a pretty cool one in town, but the big-box stores pushed it out a few years ago.

I live in a small college town, and we have only 1 car, hence my sons and I rely a lot on local businesses, particularly those within walking distance.  I love the closeness we have to our community, being able to get groceries, frequent local doughnut and homemade pretzel shops, and even buy books in town, all without having to burn gas in our car.

One of my goals at Christmas time is to purchase local goods, like hand made bath products, locally made beer, and even fancy toothbrushes that are made right here in my town.

Neighborhood Toy Store Day encourages people to shop locally and support an independent toy store near you.  Here are some of the benefits:

1. Economic stability: Spending your money at an independent retail store supports the local economy. Local businesses create jobs, fund city services through tax dollars and promote neighborhood development.
 
2. Community development: Local businesses foster community well-being by building strong neighborhoods, sustaining communities, and contributing more to local causes. Not only do these stores add unique character to the local neighborhood, they increase the quality of life for residents and contribute to the value of homes in the area. In addition, local ownership means local decision making by people who live and work in the community and are therefore personally invested in its success.
 
3. Reduced environmental impact: Local stores help sustain vibrant, compact, walkable town centers, which in turn are essential to reducing sprawl, automobile use, habitat loss, and air and water pollution. Neighborhood stores require less travel for consumers, which decrease traffic congestion and carbon usage.
 
4. A diverse product selection:  An abundance of small locally owned businesses, each selecting its own product mix, guarantees a much wider range of product choices for everyone in the community. In addition, independent toy stores tend to carry many of the high-quality, boutique and specialty products not typically found at big box stores.
 
5. Better customer service:  Small business owners are committed to keeping customers happy. They tend to tailor their product offerings to meet the needs of the community, host local events and create incentive programs for loyal shoppers.

The closest independent toy store to us really has some of the coolest toys, things that I had no idea existed.  I love the creative displays and inviting atmosphere of this shop, and the fact that so many of their products can actually be played with and tested out by the kids.

As part of promoting Neighborhood Toy Store day, I was sent some toys to try out with my son, many of which I hadn't seen before.  Many of them were a little too old for him, but regardless, they were quite unique. 

The Perplexus Twist game in particular has been great for his physical therapy, having spent the last few weeks bedridden in the hospital.  Not only is it fun, but it's helping to hone his fine motor skills.  He also loves building with the Zoob construction pieces, since building with blocks is his absolute favorite activity.

There are so many benefits to supporting your Neighborhood Toy Store, both on Saturday and throughout the year.  Find yours here!  You can also connect with the initiative by following the Woohoo Factor on Facebook, @TheWoohooFactor and through the hashtags #toystoreday #localtoystore #shoplocal.
Disclosure: I received sample toys for review as a thank you for participating in this promotion.  All opinions are my own.