We’re Spoiled!

For his birthday, we recently gave our neighbor’s little boy an activity house made by The Original Toy Company. We knew he’d like it, because he’d shown interest in shape sorting toys at our house. But we were especially pleased by his mother’s reaction. She was surprised and delighted to see that this toy is crafted of wood, and beautifully crafted, I might add.

I realized how those of us at The Creativity Institute have come to take it for granted that the toys we offer are of superior quality. We’ve been in the toy business for almost eight years now, and we’re just spoiled. Oh sure, we’ve been very picky about what we carry, and we’ve discontinued a line or two that we appraised and decided weren’t worthy of our brand. But our neighbor’s appreciation of the workmanship of this relatively inexpensive toy reminds us that not all toys are made alike.

Most of our toy vendors are not the giant, multi-national brands, which produce in great mass and measure quantity sold as the more important definition of success. In fact, a number of our manufacturers are relatively small, some even family-owned. They offer lines of artistically crafted blocks, trains, easels and more, their beloved designs honed by tradition and a commitment to quality.

We love our toy vendors. We know them personally and have come to respect their integrity. And that’s why we like being a specialty toy store. We carry the toys that become classics and make parents feel as good as the kids.

Gwynn Torres

Chief Imagination Officer

The Creativity Institute