Family - owned business be comes holiday staple for community

Red and white stripes represent images of the holiday season for many, bringing forth thoughts of candy canes and peppermints. It may even remind some of a Christmas stocking or a favorite ornament. But for those familiar with Toy Fair in Shreveport, red and white stripes symbolize another element of the season.

“When you saw any gift in red and white paper, you knew it was something you were going to love,” JoAnne Garrett, a veteran Toy Fair customer, said. Garrett has purchased toys at the Line Avenue shop for about 40 years.

The red and white striped wrapping is Toy Fair’s staple; it is the signature paper used to wrap presents purchased at the familyowned shop.

“It’s that feeling when you go to a birthday party and you see that red and white paper. You knew it was from Toy Fair,” Julie Baskind, the shop’s owner, said.

As a family business, Toy Fair has been part of the Baskind family for three generations, opening in 1951. Baskind’s grandparents first opened the store, and her aunt and father ran the store following them. Her aunt lead the shop for a period on her own before Baskind took over the shop in 2010. Baskind said she grew up in the store, making it not only part of Shreveport but part of her family.

“We pride ourselves in being a familyowned business. It makes me happy to know I could continue the tradition for my kids and my kids’ kids. It’s just been a blessing,” she said.

Toy Fair’s goal is to offer unique toys as well as children’s clothes and shoes with an atmosphere of family and service.

“They have the best selection of unique toys, clothing and shoes,” Garrett said. She purchased gifts for her children at Toy Fair, and now she purchases presents for her grandchildren at the shop, too. Toy Fair carries children’s clothing brands such as Rosalina, Polo Ralph Lauren and Miss Me. The store stocks shoe brands such asKeds, Uggs, New Balance and Kenneth Cole. Popular toy brands include Lego, Melissa & Doug and Barbie.

Toy Fair once had multiple locations, but now the business is made up of one store. Large, corporate stores like Target as well as a tough economy have provided obstacles for the family business. With competition from discount stores like Walmart and big brand toy stores like Toys “R” Us, Toy Fair uses its stock to set itself apart.

“If you go somewhere like Target or Toys ‘R’ Us, you find the same toy everywhere,” Garrett said. “You don’t duplicate gifts [when you purchase a gift at Toy Fair]. The child doesn’t get three of the same gift.” In addition to buying presents for her own grandchildren, Garrett frequently picks up toys for other children’s parties at Toy Fair.

Toy Fair also has an online shop. The shop divides its toys into type and age group. Categories such as Our Favorite Toys, Games for All Ages and Pretend Play display the shop’s items in an easy-to-use and easy-to-see way. Their 2014 Holiday catalogue is also in their online shop www. toyfairstorecatalog.com/.

One of Baskind’s favorite childhood toys still makes up Toy Fair’s shelves. She collected Madame Alexander dolls, a brand of collectible dolls introduced in 1923, throughout her childhood. She received a new doll every holiday season and kept all of them. She said Toy Fair is the only store in Shreveport to carry the dolls.

Garrett remembers a miniature kitchen she purchased from Toy Fair. The kitchen has been passed through her grandchildren and is still being used. Garrett said the kitchen’s retro look makes it fun, and the toy has held up well throughout the years.

“Everything that I’ve purchased has been high quality, and I’ve never been disappointed,” she said.

Preparing for the holiday season is key to to prosper in the time of gift-giving, Baskind said. In November every year, the shop is prepped and ready for holiday shoppers.

“I really have to make sure my store’s stocked with merchandise,” Baskind said. She said predicting the toy craze of the season is difficult. She said it’s incredibly hard to pick the one toy many children will long for.

“It’s hard. We haven’t had a good craze in a while,” she said, remembering crazes such as the collecting of Beanie Babies in the 1990s and early 2000s. She did predict, however, that “Frozen” merchandise, toys and memorabilia based on the 2013 Disney blockbuster, will be popular this season. Toy Fair will show their love for the icy hit when Olaf, the friendly snowman who likes warm hugs, visits the guests Nov. 28. A character always visits Toy Fair following Thanksgiving to greet customers.

As Garrett thinks about the upcoming holiday season, she cannot help but remember the red and white stripes of Toy Fair’s iconic wrapping paper.

“Those are the presents my grandchildren will open first,” she said.

Though Baskind has made her own changes to the store, keeping the shop up-to-date with a changing time and economy, she knows of one thing she will never change: the red and white stripes.

“That red and white paper stands. I would never change it,” Baskind said.

Toy Fair is located at Pierremont Mall on Line Avenue. The shop is open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday. For more information, call 865-3558 or visit www.toyfairstorecatalog.com/.

–Tara Bullock