Latest happenings for July

What a huge month we have had at our new store at Domain Central. It has been great to welcome so many new customers. There's a constant vibe in the store, and of course the sound of a Quadrilla marble run in almost constant use! The business of the centre has exceeded all our expectations, and sent a shiver up our spine when we think about the Christmas season. The elves try and prepare all year for the Christmas season, but not matter how much wrapping you do during the year, Christmas still sends your fingers into a spin.

We've welcomed a couple of new elves into the fold. Belinda is our weekend manager and it is her happy face that greets the many customers that venture out to Domain on the weekend. Michaela has also recently joined us, and she will be working Friday through Sunday.

We've expanded our stock levels and welcomed a number of new ranges. The Tiger Tribe range is doing particularly well. Tiger Tribe is an Australian company that produces a pretty sweet range of craft kits, mobiles and pocket money toys. We've also got the new limited edition colours of the ever popular mini micro scooter in, plus the latest Nutcase helmets to go with these.

Our mid year mini catalogue is out, and contains more than 50 items with discounts of up to 50%. Check it out and grab a bargain.

Our move to Domain Central

I know I have been 'missing in action' on this blog for quite some time. In my defence things have been pretty busy. The move to the new store has been on the cards for quite some time, it was a matter of waiting for the right position to come up at Domain Central. Finally all the stars aligned for us to find the perfect location right next to Adairs Kids. Now that we are all set up there it is fantastic to have all the staff in one location. Locals will know that previously we were running our eStore from a separate warehouse location. Even though it was only a couple of shops away from the retail store, it was still separate. I predominantly worked from the warehouse, and therefore missed a lot of the daily face to face interaction with the retail store customers. I really enjoy this aspect of my work, so I am chuffed now that I am around when all the regulars drop in.
There are also lots of new customers about the place now as well. Plenty of people who have 'heard about us' but never had the opportunity to visit us in when we were in the city. It's so nice when people walk into the store for the first time and go 'wow'; then we know we have hit the mark with our store fit-out and product range. I think people really appreciate that they have quality choices across a broad range of toys now. It's no longer a small part of the population that is prepared to pay a bit more for quality educational toys and wooden toys. It has become far more mainstream as people tire of plastic toys that break when first played with. We're chuffed to provide this service and will work hard to continue to offer quality choices.

Melbourne Toy Fair - our review of what's hot (and what's definitely not)

Our annual pilgrimage to Toy Fair is always interesting. We use it for our 'bread and butter' items. This means those items that are constant best sellers that we try to have on the shelves (the real and virtual ones!). There certainly are edgier trade shows than Toy Fair, but it's still an important event on the toy trade calendar. You don't go there expecting to be blown away by entirely new ranges, however there are always a few surprises in store. You have to look for them, but that makes it more fun; almost like a toy treasure hunt.

This was our 4^th toy fair and we are starting to feel like we have got the hang of how to tackle it. You walk in and take a huge sigh as you see the enormity of it and figure out where to start. Our first stop is always the coffee stand for some portable pick me up. Then it's an initial walk though all the stands from start to finish. This way we can see where all the stands are that we need to spend more time in; and get a general feel for how much new product there is. We should point out that there are many stands that we walk straight past; anything with a licence or brand, most plastics, remote control, and anything that needs batteries. This probably makes up half of Toy Fair.

Contrary to what you might think, there are no children around. It is strictly trade only, although there are certainly some big kids around who like to play and demo their wares. There's also a fair smattering of grumpy men about, whose jaded demeanour suggests they have been in the industry for far too long. The reps on the stands need to be energetic and enthusiastic, and most importantly know their product. There are always stands that are staffed by personnel who clearly have nothing more than a cursory understanding of the products on offer, which really does them a disservice. We love spending time at stands where they staff (often owner operators) love their product and want to tell you about it.

So now you have an idea of the feel of the place, now to what we saw. Our prize for the most enthusiastic stand goes to the troops at Dr Wood Mind Challenge. They have an amazing range of unique mind challenging puzzles and games that we had heaps of fun playing. All the games were set up for demo purposes, and we worked the whole stand and tried each one.

We were also pretty impressed with the folks at Heebie Jeebies, whose stand was, like its name, full of quirky science and geeky gifts. Dinosaur kits, clip circuits and pothead plants (little grassy characters in terracotta pots) were some of the finds. Their optical products were particularly clever, especially a two way bug viewer that would go down a treat in a house with two insect crazy boys in residence (i.e.- mine).

The Kaleidoscope stand is always a favourite, as they supply some of our most popular items; Djeco craft kits, Folkmanis puppets, Papo figurines, Le Toy Van wooden toys and Wheely Bug Ride ons. The Djeco craft kits continue to amaze us for quality and value. There are lots of new sets on the way, several of these newbies are in our retail store already and will be on our virtual walls as soon as next week. Le Toy Van has added to the range with a new Honeybake tea set, plus a police van, new play food (the ice cream sundae is divine) and loads of new Budkins dolls. We were also delighted when the MD of Kaleidoscope told us that last year we were their fastest growing store! How exciting is that?

Other stands that made our hearts flutter a little? Fairy Girls new tutu dress ups that are just tutu sweet; Discoveroo; a unique scooter than converts to a trike/bike, new bamboo racers from Hape; Sparkle T wooden toys and Tiger Tribe stamp sets and magnetic play sets.

All of these will be arriving in store as soon as they are available. Stay tuned :)

Kids in Style roundup

I always enjoy attending the Kids in Style trade show in Sydney. It's kind of like the boutique end of what we do, and gives us a chance to find new and really edgy items to add to our inventory. I like to think that this is one of the things that distinguishes us on the web, as we have our best sellers plus a nice range of 'harder to find' items. Kids in Style is a 'must do' show for anyone with an online kids boutique store, as it covers fashion, accessories, decor and toys. Of course we only stock the toys, and that's what I'll cover here; but the rest of the show is well worth looking at. For nice summaries have a look at www.babyology.com.au and www.kidsstylefile.com.au.

So, what was there that knocked my socks off? We'll start with some of our existing brands. The stand for premium German toy manufacturer Haba always looks a treat. We already have a huge range of Haba products and it is about to get even bigger. Products available for the first time this year include new designs of baby soft and wooden clutch toys, wooden play food, family games and the popular terra kids range for outdoorsy types. Items that deserve a special mention include the Rose Fairy play tent which is delightful, the mini shop-front with umbrella, and the doll's play tent. I also loved the new clip fasteners for the block and marble runs. These clever little clips allow you to stabilise your structures, and you can even build vehicles with them.

The Moulin Roty Childhood Memories range is popular with customers who are looking for special gifts that are very traditional looking. I particularly enjoy the exquisite detail in the clothing of the dolls and plush toys; and this twin doll set with portable wardrobe and clothes is bound to be a hit.

Also on the way are new dolls from Kathe Kruse, wooden selections from Sevi, fab additions to the retro Dumpling Dynasty range and the long awaited prehistoric dinosaur Anamalz. I also dropped in and chatted to the friendly team from Wishbone design who distribute the innovative 3 in 1 balance bike that converts from a three to a two wheeler. We have been with Wishbone from the start as one of their first retailers in Australia, and they still maintain their competitive edge with their point of difference being their versatility.

Now to some of the new stuff that is about to grace our shop walls and web pages. I was particularly pleased to finally find a very edgy range of kids helmets from Nutcase. These helmets come in a range of designs and sizes and make wearing a helmet a fashion statement. Of course they meet all the safety requirements for Australian testing and are the perfect companion to our Microscooter and balance bike selections.


I've also been on the lookout for birthday party invitations and accessories that are that little bit different. Welcome Banter and Frolic, whose vintage inspired party kits are stylish little boxes of everything you need to make a complete party statement. They describe them as the 'dressed up' version of backyard parties from yesteryear, and this is a pretty accurate description.


On the craft side of things I'm pleased to be adding the 'Seedling' range to our walls. Seedling craft kits are packaged in eco friendly bags and boxes so you can actually see what you are getting. They are definitely not a 'boxful of air' like some craft kits. They are kind of hard to describe; but just imagine that you decided to put together your own craft kits, using only the best quality parts that make something that is truly functional (and fun). With the new range you can make everything from designer tutus to super hero capes, plus worm farms, volcanoes and quirky sock toys.




Bobble Art have a great range of children's bags and accessories in bright fun colours and cheery designs. Backpacks, library bags, swimming bags and drink bottles will soon be available.


Ruby Luxe is a range of eco friendly jewellery for kids made with natural and sustainable materials. It includes brooches and necklaces in quirky acrylic designs with fabric, wool and crocheted embellishments. These will be a great gift for those hard to buy for tweens.


In terms of availability, some of these new items and ranges will be arriving in the next couple of weeks. The rest will be available over the next few months. As always, we'll advise of their arrival in our weekly newsletter, facebook and twitter updates.

What does a toy shop owner buy her own children for Christmas?

Happy New Year! It does seem a little late for these greetings, but given that this is my first blog for the new year I'm going to say it anyway. I am presently enjoying an extended pseudo break from all things Entropy. It's a Clayton's break, the break you have when you are not having a break. It means I'm doing my work from home, in between looking after the boys who are still on school holidays for another week. My fantastic elves are looking after both the retail and eStore and are doing a great job.

I've been asked a few times what does the owner of a magical toy shop get her own children for Christmas, so I shall share this with you. It's always a little tricky as the boys are pretty familiar with what is in the store, and I try and get them something that is just that bit different. The biggest hit this year was the Haba ball track marble run. We've had this in store for a while, but the boys has never seen it assembled so it was still a nice surprise for him. Reilly already had the large set of Haba blocks which are compatible with the marble run. With these two sets combined the construction possibilities are endless and he has truly been creating some masterpieces. The Haba marble system is different to the Quadrilla marble sets which are also popular. With Quadrilla the pieces interlock for more stable and structured systems, whereas the Haba set involves more creativity and free assembly.

Reilly also loves his vehicles, so I did a special order for a most wonderful wooden hand-made crane from Fagus. This huge vehicle has been integrated nicely into the marble system, with the box used to carry the marbles over to the track!

Connor has an ongoing love affair with Papo figurines, s

o the perfect gift for him was a home for them all; the Le Toy Van Lionheart Castle. This is the largest of the Le Toy Van castles currently available and has secret little hiding places and features everywhere. Now the figurines are happily used for hours of pretend play, even if the historical accuracy of the play leaves a little to the imagination, with dinosaurs, dragons, knights and roman soldiers all involved in the same scene!

To finish things off, I also had the wonderful Mervyn

at Dobbin and Drum Toys make the boys one of his handmade teepees, and had it embroidered with

their names. It now plays an integral role as a cubby house for secret men's business!

Out of the mouths of babes....

Oh where to start this week? I have been thinking about this blog for a bit but just have not got round to putting fingers to keyboard (remember when we used to say 'pen to paper'?) Oh but I do digress.... Incidentally, can you remember the first email you ever received, or text message for that matter? Truly one is showing her age. As always there has been lots happening. Heaps of Christmas catalogue stock has arrived, with some great specials from Le Toy Van, Djeco and Voila. The catalogue specials officially start from November 1; however a few are already loaded into our eStore. One of these is a tin fairy tea set for $29.95, which I know is going to be a best seller. With all this stock arriving we have officially outgrown our warehouse (not bad considering we didn't even have a warehouse 18 months ago). So our overflow stock is being held at another storage facility as we gear up for a bumper Christmas.

We are also right in the middle of a website re-design. You can't notice any difference yet, as it is being done on a test server. The re-design is aimed at making your shopping experience easier. The main change is going to be a re-categorisation of items, with new product groupings that should be intuitively easier to use. We are planning on switching over to the new site by the end of October. Fingers crossed it will be a seamless transition! We have more than 200 new items available this month alone, however you won't be seeing them until we switch over to the new site. We promise they are well worth waiting for. To finish with I need to share this gem with you. We were at the servo and Connor (age 7 today) was 'interpreting' the icons with the lines through them telling you what you are not allowed to do. "Mummy, there is No Smoking, No talking on your phone, and No children watering the cars to make them grow". Priceless!!

Building Blocks to make an architect smile

Every now and again you come across an item that knocks your socks off. Truly honestly and cross my heart, this building block set from Haba should be a part of every toy library or play room. I know I wax lyrical about certain products, but this set deserves all the praise I give it. There are wooden blocks, and then there ARE wooden blocks; this is the latter. The extra large set has 102 pieces of high quality untreated beech wood that are strong and durable. They have a lovely smooth finish and the variety of shapes means that everyone from babies to master architects can enjoy them.

The clever thing about Haba blocks is that all shapes are based on a 4x4x4cm cube, meaning that any structures built can have symmetry and stability if you so desire. They blocks are also compatible with the Haba marble track system (just imagine the possibilities!). In terms of play value, these rank right up there. I've had this set at home now for a couple of months, and customers are surprised when I tell them that Connor (6 years) and Reilly (4 years) play with them heaps. Not to mention Sean (late 40 something years) who has come up with some amazing creations! If you only buy one toy this year, make an investment in these blocks.