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Posted August 5, 2009
Do you remember department store toy departments and sitting on Santa’s lap as a child? I certainly do. I recall being heartbroken when Marshall Fields discontinued their magical toy department - a place of wonder that seemed like it was transported directly from Santa’s North Pole complex complete with Santa Claus himself (also my boss, and idol). The demise of the department store may well have been accelerated by the elimination of their toy department and consumers no longer having the toy departments as destinations. Frankly, I think it was the key to their downfall. No toy store today captures the magic of a department store toy department. Instead of eliminating their toy department, Walmart needs to make it a magical place, different than the laundry and bleach section, more wonderful than plumbing. They could create several aisles of whimsy, magic and wonder that the consumer would want to enter and dawdle in, remembering their childhoods and dreams of toys. And at the Holidays, crank it up a notch on the wonder and whimsy scale. If Walmart wishes, we will gladly consult on this transformation. Cutting SKUs and cutting the toy department is not the way to serve their customers, who all have children and grandchildren, nieces and nephews that love to play with toys! Who doesn’t love to peruse the toy aisle in Walgreens and other drug stores? My heart leaps when I see an aisle of toys in a home supply store like Menards. Toys are fun, and it always gladdens my heart to see them on the store shelf, especially when by surprise, other than in a toy store or toy department. There has never been more opportunity in retailing toys than today. Buy toys, they are an investment in joy and happiness. Every toy creates at least a mile of smile, one face at a time.
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