Back in late 2020, something at The General Store changed. The family-owned local retailer, known for carrying everything from home goods, hardware and clothing to auto and gardening supplies, started a dedicated toy department.
"Prior to four years ago, we really only bought toys to sell seasonally. We'd get in and out of it for the Christmas season, and we didn't bring in a lot of major brands at that time," co-owner Tom Barany says.
Then came the closure of The White Elephant. Barany and his family members recognized that the loss of the 74-year-old landmark just a few blocks to the south meant that there would be a "big void" in the local community — not simply in terms of stock but also when it came to trust and quality of service.
"That was a major icon for toys for decades and decades and decades. It occurred to me that this was probably an opportunity for us to provide the community with something that they were going to be missing here soon."
As a result, the second level of The General Store, once home to clothing and clearance items, began evolving into a space filled with the latest toy lines from household names like Mattel, Hasbro, Pokémon and Lego.
Barany also started traveling to national toy trade shows to lock in deals with vendors and get a fix on the trends that industry experts were predicting. He's now a regular at the annual ToyFest in Las Vegas and also just attended New York City's long-running North American International Toy Fair for the first time.
"If you're a child at heart, you have a blast going to those things," he says, laughing. "They are not boring, that's for sure. There are tons and tons of exciting new items that you would have no idea are out there yet."
Today, a little over four years after its inception, The General Store's toy department has taken on a name of its own — Toyland — and expanded to fill the 6,000-square-foot upstairs space. The shelves have a mix of toys for all ages, including classics like Tonka trucks, Barbie dolls and Lego sets as well as higher-tech options like drones and RC cars.
According to Barany, each stage of Toyland's growth has been driven by customer feedback, which might be why the department has generated such a loyal following in such a relatively short period of time.
"Each year awareness has been growing in the community," he says. "I'd say this year is really the year where we feel like we finally got it dialed in as far as what customers are coming in expecting and looking for."
And though he's naturally pleased with that rapid and encouraging progress, he knows that a lot of legwork goes into keeping the shelves stocked with items that will delight and entertain kids. In other words, it takes hard work to keep playtime fun.
2nd PLACE: Whiz Kids
3rd PLACE: Boo Radley's
NORTH IDAHO'S BEST: Figpickels Toy Emporium, Coeur d'Alene
