OLMSTED FALLS, Ohio — Toys are always at the top of the wish lists during the holiday season, but there are now fewer stores dedicated solely to selling them.
The retail association that tracks independent toy stores says the number in the U.S. sits between 1,500 and 2,500.
One of them, which nearly folded last year, is in Olmsted Falls.
I returned to see how the owner, Dawn Reese, is approaching yet another make-or-break holiday shopping season.
"Yes, I'm a little stubborn, so I don't like to give in," said Reese.
Reese owns Toys, Dolls, and Minis and is stocked and ready to turn a profit.
"The overhead, the cost of product, everything takes basically all the money until Black Friday," said Reese.
It was a social media post from a customer around this time last year that got my attention.
The post encouraged people to shop at the store as Reese faced a serious decline in sales.
"My October figures were the same as my January figures. They were really, really low," Reese said in a 2023 interview.
The plea worked to get this business across the finish line.
"I want to be here for the ones who have supported me all these years, and if I did close, I would feel I was letting them down," said Reese.
But Reese knows passion alone won't pay the bills.
"I'm not seeing people shopping early this year at all," said Reese.
The small business owner thinks the warmer weather we saw this month created some calendar confusion that may now create some panic among shoppers as they realize there is one less week between Thanksgiving and Christmas.
"It may be an advantage being a brick-and-mortar store that there isn't much time to get things," said Reese.
While she waits for additional foot traffic, Reese said she is constantly fighting a misconception that her products cost more because she's an independent shop.
"My prices are exactly the same on most things than online. On some things it's even less," said Reese.
To remain competitive, many gifts here are under $20.
"I am trying to do that because I know everybody's trying to watch their budget."
With each sale, customers Justin Sczepczenski and Jenna Jay hope it is enough to help preserve this nostalgic throwback to days when the only option was shopping in person.
"Yeah, a lot's been lost over the years," said Sczepczenski.
Jay said she felt quite nostalgic when she entered the toy store.
"It just makes me so happy to see everything and touch everything and you can kind of play with it before you like go home too," said Jay.
Reese doesn't want to see the community lose that opportunity, especially children.
"They have no idea what a toy store is, and I'll hear them, like, squeal. Hopefully, it's a magical place for them," said Reese.
I told her I’m in my upper 40s, and when I step into her toy store, it is magical to me.
"Good, I'm glad. That's how it's meant to be," said Reese.
