November 27 is Small Business Saturday — which is all about supporting local businesses nationwide — including online small businesses like Imagine Toys!

Support small businesses like Imagine Toys, and not only do you help the economy, you’ll find the best play, imagination, and learning toys for kids at competitive prices!

In fact, it’s our mission to provide you with quality toys that encourage your children to use their imaginations. We are parents, too so we know that it’s unique toys which encourage imagination, learning, play, and creativity and not the plastic do-it-all toys at mass-market retailers! You won’t see licensed products at ImagineToys.com or Imagine the Challenge catalog collections.

Support Our Economy

“According to the U.S. Small Business Administration, there were nearly 28 million small businesses in the United States last year. Over the past two decades, they created 65 percent of net new jobs. Their importance to local communities extends even further. For every $100 spent in locally-owned, independent stores, $68 returns to the community through taxes, payroll and other expenditures, according to the small business advocacy group The 3/50 Project.” – American Express News 

Imagine Toys’ president, Holly Ringle confirms, “The great thing is that you as consumers can vote with your pocketbook. You can seek out and support small business. In 2007, 70% of GDP was generated by small business. And 64% of new job creation in the past 15 years was from small business. Look around your table this Thanksgiving . . . seven out of ten of your fellow diners is employed or supported by small business.”

Homogenization of the World

“Have you noticed?” asks Ringle. “The homogenization of the country and the globe has begun. I’m a frequent flyer, and nearly every city in the country looks the very same: Walmart? Check. Toys ‘R Us?  Check. TGIFriday’s? Check. When I arrived in Venice, and got off the vaporetto at my stop this past September, guess what the first shop on the main drag was?  McDonalds.”

Yikes!

So what do we do?

Ringle says, “Fight the urge to shop on Amazon. Amazon, Walmart, and Toys ‘R Us.”

“If you value unique products, and premier customer service, make it a point to frequent specialty retailers, including Imagine Toys, not just at holiday, but every day.”

Imagine Toys Is . . .

“Imagine is a team effort, with no one person being any more important than another,” shares Ringle. “We all have a role to play. We have 2½ merchants on the Imagine Team, and in addition to running our toy store and catalog enterprise, we manage licensed merchandise programs for some of the world’s best known brands:  Kellogg”s, Pop-Tarts, Campbell Soup, USA Hockey, Two Men and a Truck, Pure Michigan and The Michigan Humane Society. In all, our little firm is 15 souls, all rowing in the same direction, and trying to make headway against the big boys.”

As far as Ringle, well, she just celebrated her 10 year anniversary, has a daughter and three dogs. She comes from the corporate world with an MBA and years of marketing leadership experience. Now, Ringle prefers and loves her new, non-corporate world at Imagine Toys!

And Who Doesn’t Love Toys and Sales?

Imagine Toys know you love sales, just like we do! Find out all the latest sales on the Imagine Toys Facebook page, the Deal of the Day page, or online on the sale page. ** Black Friday shoppers get 20% ALL DAY!

Remember, join us at Imagine Toys and Pledge to Shop Small^SM on Nov 26th – and every day.