Graham's was recently interviewed as part of Tiggly's new "Ask a Retailer" feature on their website. Tiggly is a great new brand, sold in the store, that we are very excited about. It is the newest way for kids to interact with the iPad using tactile colorful blocks that can be safely used on the surface of the device. Apps can be downloaded that allow kids to do things including play with stamps, create animations and learn about animals.
Read the article after the jump.
Read the article after the jump.
For the first installment of our "Ask a Retailer" interview series, Tiggly sat down with Shelley Steinberg, the owner of Graham's in Greenwich, Connecticut.
Tiggly: When did Graham’s open and what compelled you to open a toy store/hair salon mashup?
Shelley Steinberg: Graham's opened on August 20, 2002, which happened to be our son Graham’s 5th birthday. We did so because when he was really little, everywhere we would take him for a haircut, he would cry hysterically -- and those stores would always make us and him feel bad about it. As a joke I said to his dad, “I think there’s a better way. People shouldn't have to feel bad about getting their kids' hair cut.”
One year later, I left the corporate world and we went for it. They say necessity is the mother of invention, and Graham's truly came from a place of need. We needed a place where children like our son could get their hair cut and have a happy experience.
Initially, the toys were meant to be a small add-on to what we were doing with the hair salon. It was going to be, come in, get a hair cut and see a couple of fun toys -- but people liked our toys so much that we decided to go full blown on that. In our current location, about 70 percent of the store is devoted to toys, versus about half that number in our first 3 years.
Tiggly: What do you love about your work?
SS: People ask me that a lot! What I love about it is I get to do something that puts a smile on people’s faces every day. What better way is there to feel good about yourself than to see a child walk into your store and walk out with something they love? Or to see their parents get excited about the great new toy they've just bought for their child?
For me, it’s like being a kid in the candy store. I love the fact that every single day not only do we get new customers who say this, but also our regular customers who say that they've never seen a store like ours before: a store that's curated the way ours is, and a mom-and-pop shop with great service.
Tiggly: What do you look for in the products you sell?
SS: The first thing we ask is, "Where else are you sold?" If it’s anything that’s sold in any mass store, we won’t even consider it.
The second thing we look for is, they have to be educational. We don’t want a toy where you press it and it does the action for you. We want educational and interactive.
The third thing we look for is design. We don’t want parents to feel they have to hide the toys when company is coming over.
Tiggly: What made Tiggly Shapes interesting to you?
SS: We love to work with local people -- a number of things in the store have been created by locals, so the New York City and Westport connection was a real positive for us.
We also love being innovators who work with brand new products. And then of course it met with our other requirements – it was educational and it had high design.
Tiggly: Do you have a favorite Tiggly memory? A funny exchange with a customer, perhaps?
SS: Right now more of what we’re getting is, "Wow -- this really makes sense," or, "Why didn't I think of this?"
You know, the basic premise of our store initially was to focus on old-fashioned toys. But we realized that it was important to follow things like Tiggly that are taking into account things that are in everyday people’s lives.
Tiggly: When did Graham’s open and what compelled you to open a toy store/hair salon mashup?
Shelley Steinberg: Graham's opened on August 20, 2002, which happened to be our son Graham’s 5th birthday. We did so because when he was really little, everywhere we would take him for a haircut, he would cry hysterically -- and those stores would always make us and him feel bad about it. As a joke I said to his dad, “I think there’s a better way. People shouldn't have to feel bad about getting their kids' hair cut.”
One year later, I left the corporate world and we went for it. They say necessity is the mother of invention, and Graham's truly came from a place of need. We needed a place where children like our son could get their hair cut and have a happy experience.
Initially, the toys were meant to be a small add-on to what we were doing with the hair salon. It was going to be, come in, get a hair cut and see a couple of fun toys -- but people liked our toys so much that we decided to go full blown on that. In our current location, about 70 percent of the store is devoted to toys, versus about half that number in our first 3 years.
Tiggly: What do you love about your work?
SS: People ask me that a lot! What I love about it is I get to do something that puts a smile on people’s faces every day. What better way is there to feel good about yourself than to see a child walk into your store and walk out with something they love? Or to see their parents get excited about the great new toy they've just bought for their child?
For me, it’s like being a kid in the candy store. I love the fact that every single day not only do we get new customers who say this, but also our regular customers who say that they've never seen a store like ours before: a store that's curated the way ours is, and a mom-and-pop shop with great service.
Tiggly: What do you look for in the products you sell?
SS: The first thing we ask is, "Where else are you sold?" If it’s anything that’s sold in any mass store, we won’t even consider it.
The second thing we look for is, they have to be educational. We don’t want a toy where you press it and it does the action for you. We want educational and interactive.
The third thing we look for is design. We don’t want parents to feel they have to hide the toys when company is coming over.
Tiggly: What made Tiggly Shapes interesting to you?
SS: We love to work with local people -- a number of things in the store have been created by locals, so the New York City and Westport connection was a real positive for us.
We also love being innovators who work with brand new products. And then of course it met with our other requirements – it was educational and it had high design.
Tiggly: Do you have a favorite Tiggly memory? A funny exchange with a customer, perhaps?
SS: Right now more of what we’re getting is, "Wow -- this really makes sense," or, "Why didn't I think of this?"
You know, the basic premise of our store initially was to focus on old-fashioned toys. But we realized that it was important to follow things like Tiggly that are taking into account things that are in everyday people’s lives.
