Small Town Toy Retailer CRUSHING It with Tami Staker

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Wine Recommendation from this Episode: Tessellae Old Vines GSM Roussillon, France

I have known Tami Staker for years, she’s one of my OG Insiders, and you’re going to love this real and honest look into the toy retail business. For 12 years, Tami has run Whimzy in Albert Lea, Minnesota as a part-time business owner, while also working as a full-time employee of a Fortune 500 company.

When she first purchased the store, it was branded as a party store, but the market was saturated. I mean, who wants to buy napkins at a specialty store when they can just pick them up at Walmart? She realized that the party store was not working for the town of 18,000, so she pivoted into something she loved.

It’s hard to walk out of a toy store unhappy, and that’s the whole vibe that Tami embraces. Did the pandemic affect her business? Um, yes. Like a lot of small retailers, she had to get creative last year. But she was able to dig down deep and deliver the most EPIC Santa Claus experience for her town. Seriously, you’re going to love how she served her community with fun during a crazy year. Her store’s more than a toy shop; it’s become a destination for families.

Not only is Tami generous with her time today, she’s also offering a copy of Jamie Lee Kern’s latest book for the first person to leave a comment (UPDATE: The book has been claimed). And while you’re at it, give me a shout out if you need a Clubhouse invite! I’ve got a few invitations available for listeners. Check out Whimzy online, and if you see something you can’t live without, she does ship! Do a little virtual shopping and wine drinking with us.

What’s Inside:

Is it even possible for small toy stores to compete with Amazon? Tami says, “Yes!”, and you’ll love how she differentiates herself from the online retailer.
Since a toy store is a non-essential business, Tami’s had to get creative over the last year to stay current and relevant during this crazy pandemic season.
When Tami rebranded, that’s when she finally felt the store reflect her true vision.
Spying on other stores and scoping out their cool new products is a super secret side benefit of running a toy store.