In Jack Seelie's toy store, Once Upon A Time Toys, one thing keeping up with the wonderment in children's faces as they look at potential gifts is the number of paying customers walking through the door.
Seelie says Once Upon A Time Toys has been on the same corner in Rocky River for the last three decades.
"Business is significantly up," said Seelie, comparing past November sales totals to what he saw just more than halfway through November 2018.
Even with more shoppers turning to online retailers to get their gifts, Seelie suspects more people come to his shop because for the first time in the 30 years Seelie's been in Rocky River, shoppers can't go to Toys 'R' Us.
Seelie says he decided to carry Lego after Toys R Us folded because Lego is so popular, and so many customers went to Toys R Us to buy them before.
"They're experiencing what is the opposite shopping experience from Toys 'R' Us," said Seelie.
Seelie says his store gives shoppers attention in a way that any big box store can't. It comes at a time when those big stores are growing their toy businesses even if just for a few weeks.
A Playmobil dog sledding scene sits on a display case at Once Upon A Time Toys.
"In November or December, everyone becomes a toy store," said Seelie.
Target tells News 5 they're nearly doubling the number of toys they offer while reallocating "space across nearly 500 stores to make room for even more toys...More than 100 of our remodeled stores now have an updated toys experience with a new layout, oversized displays featuring popular characters and brands like LEGO and Our Generation dolls, and interactive play experiences. We’ve even moved the kids’ books department right next to the toy department to create a world catered to our littlest guests."
Seelie says the way to compete is to make the shopping experience better.
Seelie shows one of the tables where customers can play with Calico Critters before buying a new set.
"Little kids, they love this," said Seelie, pointing out a table where kids can play with toys in his store.
What their parents won't love is higher prices for toys.
Seelie says Corolle is a high-quality doll made in France that often has knockoff imitations that end up in toy stores.
Those higher prices could be just around the corner.
A lot of toys are made in China, making them the potential target for new tariffs in the trade war between China and the United States.
"If you're in the mass market, cheap toy, it's going to impact you because you're probably getting all of your toys from China," said Seelie.
A Once Upon A Time Toys employee wraps gifts purchased before Thanksgiving.
Seelie says none of his toys come from China but trade negotiations are being watched closely by The Toy Association, a non-profit "trade association representing all businesses that design, produce, license, and deliver toys and youth entertainment products for kids of all ages."
The Toy Association says the toys you'll buy this holiday season have already gotten past any future tariffs, but gifts for Easter or the 2019 holiday season could see a sharp increase if more tariffs are put in place.
