We Like(d)
Meet Buyers From… Toy, Book, And Gift Stores 
At Playtime Paris and Playtime & Kid’s Hub New York, our team works hard to curate a selection of international brands that meets the needs of every type of buyer in our community. In addition to the fashion brands on display, there is an ever-increasing presence of lifestyle brands that meet the needs of buyers from concept stores, as well as specialty shops. For toy, gift, and book stores, there is plenty to discover at The Big Small Shows!
We wanted to celebrate this part of our community, so we looked through our address book to put some toy, gift, and book stores in the spotlight! We conducted brief interviews with a few of them to learn more about their stores, as well as about this sector of the kids’ fashion and lifestyle market. Let’s explore toy, book, and gift stores from around the world!
In Den Olifant has been bringing wooden toys and furniture to little ones since 1970. A second owner in the late 70’s began adding more toys and books to make a more varied offer. The current owners, Nele and Bert, took over in 2020. Having previously worked in wholesale, they have found retail even more fulfilling.
Nele and Bert love seeing the joy the products in In Den Olifant bring to the children that play with them, as well as the parents, grandparents, and other family and friends that gift them to their little loved ones. Their selection has always been centered around products that are high quality, beautiful, and sustainable. They love the beautiful stories that come along with wooden toys from small brands. They find that customers come to their store for the opportunity to feel the materials, the weight of the products. This helps them understand the price, as well.
It’s important to them to change their beautiful window displays every 4-6 weeks. “We love dirty handprints on our windows, because it means children are coming to look in them!” Nele told us. It’s a lot of work to refresh the store so frequently, but it’s how they’ve been able to grow their business. At In Den Olifant, customer service is paramount. Throughout the different ownerships, giving great advice and educating customers about the products has always been important. They try to really focus on toys that last longer than a few years and can educate the kids that play with them.
There is no fashion in In Den Olifant. They are completely dedicated to education through toys, celebrating how they help kids grow and develop. Nele and Bert want to give them the right tools. This means products that are beautiful, sustainable, and long lasting. They also want the toys in their store to be beautiful enough that parents love them too, that they’re proud to have them in their house and don’t want to hide them away.
Step into the magical universe of Land of Oz Toys! The current owner, Elena, took over this brick-and-mortar about 12 years ago. While she loves the reference to The Wizard of Oz (especially with the new Wicked movie!), the name actually is in honor of the original owner’s father, Oswald. Elena’s daughter had always loved Land of Oz Toys, which is why when the original owner decided to close its doors, Elena stepped in to take over. A teacher by education and previous profession, Elena has combined her love of toys and education through the selection she curates in her store.
Located in a somewhat small town two hours north of New York City, Elena caters largely to her local community. She’s the only toy shop in town, so everyone comes to her for birthday and holiday gifts. There are also boutique hotels in her area, so parents on travel come in search of presents for their children. All of her customers come to Land of Oz Toys in search of something different. “It’s my job to always offer things that are different, that can’t be found everywhere,” Elena told us.
Something unique to Land of Oz Toys is the birthday bins Elena has created. 2-3 weeks before the birthdays of local children, she adds their name to a painted wooden crate. The kids can then come in, feel the products, and take them from the shelves to put in their birthday bin. Acting as a sort of gift registry, these crates are then shopped by family and friends. This way, they buy exactly what the child wants to receive! With a gift wrapping service as well, Land of Oz Toys has it all, so there is no guesswork in gift-giving.
Elena hand selects everything that becomes part of her store. She’s always on the lookout for small toy inventors just starting out that tend to grow into something bigger. Elena loves having these small labels first and introducing them to her customers before they see them anywhere else. The most important attributes for her are toys that are unique, well-made, and have longevity in terms of developmental stages. She chooses things she knows her own kids would love, or that kids in her town will. She meets up with fellow small business owners and toy, book, and gift stores every year to talk about ways they are improving their business and helping their customers.
Dlulukaloo Wooden Toys is bringing the magic of play to life with their incredible selection. They offer sustainable wooden toys, Montessori-inspired furniture, and whimsical room decor. This brick-and-mortar store has a unique toy rental service that allows families to embrace a conscious lifestyle. They also carefully curate gift registries that ensure memorable moments for all occasions.
“DluluKaloo is more than a store; it’s a space where timeless design meets modern parenting,” the store’s founder, Vicky, told us. “We believe in toys that spark imagination, foster development, and are crafted with the future in mind. Our ethos revolves around sustainability, intentional living, and creating joy — for children, families, and the planet,” she continued.
Vicky decided to allow her customers to rent toys as a way of participating in a more circular economy. “Offering toy rentals felt like a natural fit for our mission. Children grow and develop so quickly, and their needs change just as fast,” she explained. Their toy rentals offer the perfect solution. Families can have the products they need, when they need them, and swap them out as they’re outgrown. This also helps save families money in the long run and reduce clutter at home. If you want to learn more about Vicky’s journey with toy rentals, listen to her on the Moncrieff podcast here.
The mission of DluluKaloo is to offer families beautifully designed, high-quality, eco-friendly toys. Vicky tries to work as much as possible with brands that produce locally, ideally in Europe. This helps reduce DluluKaloo’s environmental footprint, aligning perfectly with their commitment to sustainability. She loves brands like Konges Sløjd for their fashion and toys that focus on quality, comfort, and playful design.
Meet Cam Jam, an innovative specialty store that is hands on and playful! Following a career in the film industry centered around gifting, Cam Jam’s founder Lindsay wanted to create bundles in her own gift shop just for kids. When a former toy store was closing, she seized the moment to launch her business!
At Cam Jam, shoppers can find everything from clothes and toys to accessories and stationary. Lindsay is careful to curate a selection of products that are innovate and unique. She wants her customers to come to Cam Jam to discover something new. With a firm belief the shopping experience is just as important as the quality of the products, Lindsay has made Cam Jam a destination to spend an afternoon, not to just get in and out of. Most of her shoppers are moms, so she has created a store that is classy yet fun. By being both playful and sophisticated, parents and kids are sure to have a good time there! Cam Jam’s iconic bathtub is just one of the ways Lindsay creates an experience that kids (and their parents!) walk away with and remember for years.
Efficiency is another core concept at Cam Jam. Lindsay knows her customers want help navigating all the different products for the ages, likes, and dislikes of the children in their lives. “It’s really fun to help customers put these amazing gifts together. I love seeing them excited about what they’re giving,” she told us. Lindsay especially loves helping them build a bundle of products following a theme. For her, stores like Cam Jam that offer a full experience and are dedicated to gifting are so important. From finding the perfect item to wrapping it, her customers can leave ready for the birthday party.
One thing that makes Cam Jam unique is that, while it has a website, customers can only make purchases and shop in store. Lindsay told us she chose not to take it online yet because the way Cam Jam works is through the experience she creates. It’s very personal, and she doesn’t want to lose any of that by scaling up with an online store.
Some of her bestsellers include Oh Clem, whose earrings are comfortable and cute. She has also developed a strong relationship with Petite Plume who she loves for their unique, elevated products. Personalized items from Sweet Olive Street are another of her customers’ favorites, as are the amazing winter accessories for babies and mamas from 7AM.
Doe + Fawn is a woman-owned store that curates a selection of toys, books, and clothing for young children. In their brick-and-mortar store and online shop, their selection is centered around a deep connection to the natural world. “As a 1% for the planet business partner, it is extremely important for us to build a business in harmony with nature,” the owner, Amy, told us. Through this initiative, 1% of their profits are donated to nonprofit organizations working to make outdoor spaces accessible to all children.
“Our thoughtful and engaging collection of goods is curated from the creative minds of artists, makers, and producers with a love of nature, play, and design,” Amy told us. In general, there are several criteria products must meet to be included in her offer. Centering around nature and its diverse habitats is essential, as well as manufacturing processes that protect people and the planet. The other top priority is for items to encourage open-ended play that allows for mindfulness, wonder, and joy.
Doe + Fawn is a neighborhood shop surrounded by other vibrant independent retailers. “This area attracts local families, proud grandparents, and visitors to our historic town,” Amy explained. She’s noticed that her customers enjoy previewing new collections on her website, but that they still enjoy coming in to make purchases. “We find they enjoy the tactile experience of touching toys made with natural materials. Of flipping through a book or observing the joyful designs our brands are creating for children,” she said.
Amy finds that the strength of this sector lies in brands that are engaging development through play. The brands that are finding ways to extend the life of toys through the progression of play are also making an impression on her. “For example, Dëna toys start as a silicone teether, then progresses into free play, and finally transitions into a baking activity,” Amy told us. For her and fellow toy, book, and gift stores, she hopes the market will continue to innovate. She wants to see more sustainable materials, more transparency with social impact, and even more diverse experiences.
Tout Petits is a kid’s lifestyle store in the heart of Arnhem. Specifically, it’s in the ‘7 straatjes’ where authentic, creative, unique stores can be found. Their goal is to make a tiny difference in the world through the products they offer. When customers step into Tout Petits, it’s like stepping into a fairy tale. There is inspiration, quality, beauty, and a funny little twist! At Tout Petits, the products are not boxed. Instead, they are left out and open in little scenarios that combine different brands, styles, shapes, and materials. They invite kids to play with the products to spread a little happiness and make sure they love what they go home with.
The three pillars of Tout Petits are inspire, create, and play. “We want to inspire people to be creative and play with their kids,” the store’s owners Annemieke and Erwin told us. “We offer cuddle toys, teddybears, dolls, and everything else you need to do that. Clothes, beds, strollers, puzzles, games, DIY things, dress up costumes, and so much more” they continued.
Annemieke and Erwin told us that some of their favorite brands right now are Maileg, Poppie Toys, and Minikane. “We like them because they have beautiful, durable products. They have strong eyes for detail, and lovely colors,” they said.
PucciManuli is a family concept store specialized in creating wonder through thoughtful gifts for children of all ages. From newborns to grandparents, they have gifts for everyone. When curating their selection, their owner Carrie favors small brands with stories to tell, because she believes stories always add value.
“Our shop tends to attract the thinkers and doers in life,” Carrie told us. “They know what they like, they like what they know, and they’re not interested in what others think,” she continued. She merchandises pucciManuli around the concept of discovery, allowing customers to find gifts they wouldn’t have otherwise thought of.
Carrie finds that the gift industry is continuing to evolve along with consumers. “The industry remains resilient, as it has an easier time adapting to ever-changing tastes and categories,” she said. Carrie is always in such of little brands that are innovators. She looks for labels that have a new, interesting perspective on the children’s gift market, or have a compelling story to tell.
Clothes Pony & Dandelion Toys started as a clothing boutique, and then inherited a big toy store along the way. Now, their selection includes apparel, books, toys, shoes, and everything else that is delightful for children and families. Founded by two sisters, Becca and Jenny, the rules in their store are simple: touch everything, make a mess, and make yourself at home! They want to create a lively atmosphere, which is helped by their adorable pet bunny who lives in the center of the store. Their whole business model is about being loving, open-hearted, and welcoming.
“Community is our touchstone at Clothes Pony & Dandelion Toys,” Becca told us. They have sing alongs and story times to build and maintain this strong community. “We’ll have 20 or more crazy little tots playing and singing along,” Becca said of their events. “We feel like a lot of families can feel pretty isolated when they are first having children. Being around other young families can help support them, and reassure them they’re doing pretty well as parents,” she continued.
Having been open for over 20 years, Becca and Jenny were a bit worried about online retailers having an impact on the toy, book, and gift stores like them. But they’ve come to realize that their customers want to come in their store, to play with things and get advice from the community of grandparents, fellow parents, and even the college kids that work there. Becca and Jenny are dedicated to having a wide range of price points in their store to make amazing toys accessible to everyone that comes in.
We hope that our conversations with these toy, book, and gift stores has given you deeper insights into the current state of the kid’s market. A wide range of buyers attend Playtime Paris and Playtime & Kid’s Hub New York. In addition to these retailers we spoke with, buyers from stores like Funky Monkey, Mary Arnold Toys, Indigo, Moma design store, Altermundi, Zou Bisou, Jola, Les Petits Raffineurs, and Talulah Jones come in search of lifestyle brands.
From retailers like these toy, book, and gift stores to boutiques located in museums, they all attend The Big Small Shows in search of something new. This is why it is so important for us to curate a selection of both kids’ fashion and lifestyle labels. We want to meet the needs of everyone in our community! Get your pass to come shop the selection covering every moment of the modern family’s life this January in Paris and February in New York.
