Blue Orange Games is lucky to partner with a fantastic bunch of retailers who are passionate about their businesses and supportive of our games. We want to do more to recognize the stores and individuals that make our mission possible. That’s how our monthly spotlight on an outstanding Blue Orange Games retailer came about! We are pleased to announce that Wonder Works Toys in Charleston, South Carolina is our Store of the Month for May!
Renaud, from our sales team, nominated this store because of their dedication to the local community and their passion for creating fun times with their customers. Renaud also recognized Wonder Works Toys “For their continuous support, the energy they show in their store and how they are dedicated to bringing happiness to kids. They have the perfect location for the summer time and are very loyal to Blue Orange Games!”
Wonder Work Toys is often known as being the ‘Trendy Toy Store’. The store does a lot of research to discover what the latest trend will be and makes sure to have it in stock! I had the pleasure of speaking with Elizabeth, who has been an employee for 15 years and has worked all positions that are available in the store. She is currently the director of operations and it is clear that she has a lot of experience in toy store buying and trends!
Elizabeth tuned us in on the latest trends and what is exciting to come this year. Currently, Shopkins has taken storm of their store, “These Shopkins are so hard to find, but we have them in stock! Shopkins will be around for a while, and soon Ugleez will be added to the brand.” These are not the only trends of the year, “Dinosaurs are huge, especially with Jurassic World coming out so soon. Kids are always seeking out dinosaur toys, but this will be heightened even more. We also cannot forget Star Wars; I can promise that will be huge this year!”
How does a store always know what the latest trend will be and how long it will last? Simple, it is the passion of coming to work and listening to industry peers. Elizabeth stated, “It is so important to listen to your peers and what is going on in the industry. The specialty store community is a tight one and is not afraid to give advice or share their secrets to success.” On top of that, Wonder Works’ employees are passionate about what they do and give their opinions on games to purchase. Customers are used as a resource to bring in the games that they want to see on the shelves.
While trends are important to follow to keep your store thriving, Elizabeth shared an even more compelling aspect of Wonder Works Toys. You could hear the smile in Elizabeth’s voice when she stated, “Magic happens here, any store could say that, but I have witnessed it.” Wonder Works Toys have spread the magic through major acts of kindness, for example, Wonder Works has thrown a birthday party for a boy who came in after no one showed up to his party. It is simple acts like this that allow magic to happen under their roof.
Wonder Works also takes pride in their community work and partners with local charities in the area. A lot of the charities are kid’s ideas and Wonder Works helps to support them. One charity raised 65 thousand dollars to build a crisis ministry homeless shelter. This is an aspect that Wonder Works is involved in that gives back to the community, aside from being a toy store.
Thank you to Wonder Works for their continued support and love of Blue Orange Games. When you are in South Carolina, make sure to pay a visit to the ‘Trendy Toy Store!’
For more information visit: www.wonderworkstoys.com