Whether you like to shop early or wait for Black Friday and CyberMonday deals to come later this month, this year consider shopping locally for deals during the 3rd annual Neighborhood Toy Store Day. Held this Saturday, November 10, 2012, Neighborhood Toy Store Day helps kick off the holiday shopping season and introduces families to the fun of shopping locally at toy stores that are committed to their communities.
Shopping locally not only fosters a sense of community but according to the The American Specialty Toy Retailing Association (ASTRA), it also provides the following benefits:
Economic stability— Spending your money at an independent retail store supports the local economy. Local businesses create jobs, fund city services through tax dollars and promote neighborhood development.
Community development— Local businesses foster community well-being by building strong neighborhoods, sustaining communities, and contributing more to local causes. Not only do these stores add unique character to the local neighborhood, they increase the quality of life for residents and contribute to the value of homes in the area. In addition, local ownership means local decision making by people who live and work in the community and are therefore personally invested in its success.
Reduced environmental impact— Local stores help sustain vibrant, compact, walkable town centers, which in turn are essential to reducing sprawl, automobile use, habitat loss, and air and water pollution. Neighborhood stores require less travel for consumers, which decrease traffic congestion and carbon usage.
A diverse product selection— An abundance of small locally owned businesses, each selecting its own product mix, guarantees a much wider range of product choices for everyone in the community. In addition, independent toy stores tend to carry many of the high-quality, boutique and specialty products not typically found at big box stores.
Better customer service— Small business owners are committed to keeping customers happy. They tend to tailor their product offerings to meet the needs of the community, host local events and create incentive programs for loyal shoppers.
If you’re in the DC Metro Area, stop by Barston’s Child’s Play in Chevy Chase where local game developers North Star Games has teamed up with the store to launch Wits & Wagers Party, the latest version of the award winning party game, Wits & Wagers.
“We have several fun activities planned for Neighborhood Toy Store Day, with the Wits & Wagers Party Launch being the highlight,” claimed Steven Aarons, owner of Barstons Child’s Play. “So bring the kids and experience all the cool stuff we have.”
North Star Games’ designer will host several games of Wits & Wagers Party at the event, allowing families to play the game and see why the Wits & Wagers brand has won more awards than any other party game.
Wits & Wagers Party Official Launch:
- Barstons Child’s Play – Chevy Chase
- 5536 Connecticut Ave, NW Washington D.C. 20015
- (202) 244-3602
- Nov. 10th, 1-4pm
Stores around the country participating in Neighborhood Toy Store Day will host local in-store events for families such as face painting, craft projects, live performances and special discounts. To find a local event near you, visit yourneighborhoodtoystore.org.
I am an ASTRA Ambassador and receive compensation for my involvement in the program but was not paid to host this giveaway. All opinions are my own. Amazon affiliate links contained in this post. Logo courtesy of ASTRA.
And there will be food and drink provided! So bring yourself, bring your kids, bring someone else’s kids, grab some random people off the street, just be there cuz its gonna be a blast!
Thanks for the additional information, Luke! So glad that two local businesses are partnering for Neighborhood Toy Store Day!