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Safe Toy Shopping in Loudoun |
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Written by Hulya Aksu
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Wednesday, 21 November 2007 |
The owners of Go Bananas would like to share some information with us about shopping for toys this season. I personally feel completely freaked out about this toys from abroad scandal and would like to know where I can find safe toys. It is easier to sift through the safe list than unsafe list, since the latter is so long. I hope this sheds some light on your holiday shopping.
WHEN TOY SAFETY IS A CONCERN, YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD SPECIALTY TOY SHOP IS A SAFE BET
Toy shopping for the holidays has one new wrinkle not considered in years past – besides price and selection; will the product be safe for the little ones on the list?
Parents and grandparents can find comfort at their local specialty toy shop, like Go Bananas, where buying presents is a one-stop pleasure. Go Bananas is located in the new Brambleton Town Center and is locally owned and operated by Mary and Tim Holmes. Go Bananas is a member of ASTRA, American Specialty Toy Retailing Association. They pride themselves by offering their customers patient and friendly service, and employing a staff of toy experts and stock specialty toys not found on big box store shelves.
"We have an extremely loyal customer base. We know many of our customers by name and they know us. We continually receive enthusiastic feedback from customers regarding not only our high level of customer service, but also our high quality and unique toy selection,” said Mary Holmes.
Imagine walking into a big box chain, flagging down a teenage store clerk and meekly asking, “I have $35 to spend on my 8-year-old nephew. He’s into cars and arts & crafts.” Chances are you’ll get a blank stare. Avoid the frustration (and mileage) by stopping at the small toy shop around the corner and receive an educated answer with several options from which to choose. You might even get free gift wrap!
Holiday shoppers can take a sigh of relief during this time of heightened concern and awareness about toy safety. Be assured that the local shop owner has carefully selected the toys on the shelf, and has bought them by the dozens. Their inventory comes largely from toy manufacturers who produce only hundreds or thousands of units, not millions. Such small scale production allows a level of safety that bigger companies just can’t match.
Need proof? Go Bananas provides customers with a convenient venue where they can find distinctive toys of the best concept, design, price and quality--toys that provide enduring play value to children. Specialty toy retailers like Mary Holmes personally selects each item chosen for their shelves. "I'm a mother of a young child and an educator. There are thousands of toys available and I carefully select those toys that I feel will teach, challenge, and inspire your child the most,” said Holmes. “Go Bananas believes that toys which are carefully researched, designed and thoughtfully sold in a friendly and personable atmosphere make a difference not only in the way that children play but also in how they learn.”
It's just one example of the hundreds of specialty toys stores across the country where consumers can feel safe and become informed about what they’re buying for the children in their lives. Purchases are a year-round task as birthday parties and special occasions seem to come around every month, not just during December.
“It brings a level of humanity to buying toys that our customers want. Many of these toy makers won’t sell to mass retailers. Sometimes they just can’t because they can’t meet the huge production numbers required, or they just prefer doing business with small companies like us,” Tim Holmes said.
Toy customers are very concerned about toy safety, and ask more questions than ever about how safe manufacturing is verified. Although the recent recalls from bigger manufacturers have been alarming and frightening, in the long run they have actually helped make the industry better for everyone, even the thousands of toy makers not involved in the recalls.
“Toys are being inspected at an unprecedented rate and under broader and better parameters,” said ASTRA’s executive director Kathleen McHugh. “Families can buy toys today with much greater confidence than ever. Unsafe toys have been removed from the shelves, which protect consumers, and additional safety tests have been established for Chinese factories, which must be adhered to by all toy makers, regardless of production size.”
ASTRA’s mission is to lead the way through play by providing quality products that help children have fun, achieve success and lead happy, healthy lives. The largest association for companies in the toy and children’s products arenas, ASTRA brings retailers, manufacturers, manufacturers’ representatives, and industry affiliates together to help them achieve their business goals and promote the growth of the industry by delivering products that serve children’s best interests.
When toy safety is a concern, your neighborhood specialty toy store is a safe bet for both expertise and trust.
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