It’s happening at The Toy Box!

Nancy & David hope you’ll come by:

THE TOY BOX TO CELEBRATE PLAY
WITH SECOND ANNUAL “NEIGHBORHOOD TOY STORE DAY”
Saturday November 12, 2011

On November 12, THE TOY BOX will join over 500 stores across the country to celebrate national Neighborhood Toy Store Day.

David and Nancy Hanson, owners of The Toy Box in Friday Harbor will once again participate in the event that spotlights the expert advice and service area families have come to expect from the store and its employees for the past 19 years.

As part of the festivities THE TOY BOX will offer FREE COOKIES, SURPRISE DISCOUNT DRAWINGS (5% to 50% off purchase) as well as fun door prizes.

“When you shop at an independent toy store, you are entering a universe of play possibilities,” explains Kathleen McHugh, President of the American Specialty Toy Retailing Association (ASTRA). “Neighborhood Toy Store Day is about celebrating the role the local store plays in the community.  We are highlighting the expertise your local store has in selecting just the right toy to help your child grow and learn through play. The inaugural Neighborhood Toy Store Day celebrations in 2010 exceeded our expectations,” said McHugh. “We hope even more families will enjoy the fun-filled activities planned all across the country on November 12, 2011.”

This nationwide event, held every year on the second Saturday of November, reminds consumers of the importance of independent toy stores and the value of shopping within their local community.

“Our members are part of your neighborhood,” said McHugh.  “They care about their customers and take the time to help them select just the right toy to help their children grow and learn through play.”

Shopping at neighborhood and independent retailers not only increases consumer choice, it also preserves jobs and local character. According to the 3/50 Project, for every $100 spent in local, independently-owned stores, $68 returns to the community in the form of taxes, salaries, charitable contributions, children’s educational programs and more–in contrast with only $43 dollars when consumers spend their money at a national chain.

ASTRA retailers will also celebrate ASTRA’s 2011 Best Toys for Kids Award list during the Neighborhood Toy Store Day event.  This list honors toys that deliver exceptional value and expand a child’s imagination and creativity; picked by the retail experts in the specialty toy industry. The list is available at The Toy Box.

“It’s very important for consumers to understand the uniqueness and outstanding quality of toys found at their local toy store versus a national chain,” McHugh stated. “Many of the toys you see at independently owned toy stores are not advertised on television and are mostly made by small manufacturers.”

McHugh urged shoppers to take this opportunity to be part of a celebration of community and to get to know their neighborhood toy store on Neighborhood Toy Store Day.

“They will undoubtedly discover a universe of play possibilities and superior service, right in their own neighborhood.”

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