STORE: Toyville
OWNERS: Diane and Gary Naumann
STORE MANAGER: Katie Wood
ADDRESS: 679 High St, Worthington, OH 43085
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GOOD IF YOU'RE LOOKING FOR: Really cool presents for kids (big, little, and Grown Ups)
I admit: I judge toy stores by whether or not they carry Playmobile. Toyville has a whole WALL of these sets! I spoke to store manager KATIE WOOD about this neat little shop in Worthington Ohio!
How long have you been here?
2 years in September
What gave Diane and Gary the idea for Toyville?
They owned a store like this in California and wanted to get back in the game!
Why Worthington, Ohio?
It was missing a toy store! High Street is a neat area, with lots of young families and grandparents.
How do you find the pieces you feature?
Diane does 99% of the buying. She buys toys from all over the world. There’s Playmobile from Germany, dolls from France, and some toys from artists right here in Worthington!
There are a few big brand names, but most of our toys are small and specialized. You can get Barbie or Spiderman anywhere. We want to give our customers something different!
What’s your favorite thing in here?
Ooooooh, one thing? I’d have to pick the PlasmaCar!
Store employee Clay shows off the PlasmaCar!
The what?!
A self-propelled car! We’ve got wood floors so kids can ride them around the store. It holds up to 220 lbs, so sometimes Moms, Dads, and Grandpas get to ride them too! We had one guy come in who was 6‘5“, his knees were up to his ears!
The whole setup in here encourages play. Kids don’t understand how a toy works when its stuck in a box. You understand a toy when you play with it.
It’s neat that the parents get to play too!
Our motto is “Everybody likes toys!” so we’ve got something for everybody - from baby stuff to puzzles for adults and a Nanoblock set of Easter Island.
What’s one piece of advice you would give to someone looking for a unique item?
Ask for help! What does the kid like? Dinosaurs? Building? Helping them find something perfect really keeps us on our toes!
Store Manager Katie Wood and some of her friends!
