Something's Fishy at the Wildey!

We're all giddy and excited -
Trout Fishing in America is coming to the Wildey Theater in Edwardsville, IL on Nov. 9th!!!

Trout Fishing in America is one of our favorites to play in the Happy Up Stores! Their groovy mix of folk and rock, without any of the syrupy stuff, is something we can listen to again and again. Their clever lyrics, insane hooks, and contagious good humor make them one of the best kid-friendly acts writing and touring today.

See the video for the title track off of their brand new CD here:

And they'll be at the WILDEY.  In EDWARDSVILLE.  Omigosh omigosh... 
The Wildey Theater is an ideal setting to see a show like this. It's got great acoustics, great seating, and isn't so huge you're worried your kids will vanish in the crowd.

Two Trout Fishing in America shows on Saturday, Nov. 9th:
Children's Show: 3pm
All-Ages Show: 8pm  (both shows are suitable for kids)

More info about the Wildey and the Trout Fishing in America show can be found on the Wildey's website: Trout Fishing in America on Nov. 9th

Tickets are $6.00 each for the Children's show.  The all-ages show tickets are $20.  Plus a small handling fee. Tickets are available through the Wildey website, by phone at (618) 307-2053, and at Happy Up in Edwardsville, IL (cash or check only).

The Wildey Theater is located at 252 N. Main St., Edwardsville IL 62025
Doors open one hour before the show begins.

You can find out more about Trout Fishing in America, hear more music, and get to know these two talented guys on their website: Trout Music

And there's a special happening at the Children's Show!

One lucky person in the audience at the 3pm Children's Show will win

a $100 gift certificate to Happy Up!

It's enough to make you wanna get up and dance, isn't it?

And we can't forget to send a big thank you to Patton Dental for presenting this family-friendly event!

Help Out with a Survey!

We're working with two students from SIU-E's marketing department.  For them to finish their final projects, they need your opinions!

Please help them out by taking one of the surveys.  Select the survey for the Happy Up location you usually visit.  And you could even win an iPad Mini!

It's important that you complete only one survey, so choose wisely!

If you usually shop in Edwardsville, IL click here: 

If you usually shop in Clayton, MO click here:

Thank You!

Funloom Workshops at Happy Up Inc. in Edwardsville!

Funloom bracelets and necklaces are all the rage - and we know some of you are wanting a little bit of help.  No worries!  We've got you covered.

Starting on October 2nd, join us at Happy Up Inc. in Edwardsville at 4pm on Wednesdays for Funloom (aka Rainbow loom) workshops.  Bring your loom and loops, and any creations you want to show off.  Julie, Store Manager and Funloom aficionado, will demonstrate the addictive art of looping!

Mark your Calendars--
Wednesdays at 4pm
Happy Up Inc, Edwardsville
6654-A Edwardsville Crossing Dr.
Edwardsville, IL  62025
(618) 656-9596

See you there!

Crunching Numbers - The State of the Stores

Now that we've digested those yummy crunchy numbers...

We can update you on the state of the stores.

Many of you are asking. Some are wondering but haven't asked. And, considering the huge outpouring of support our communities gave us last March, we owe you an update on the state of the Happy Up stores.

The really really short-short answer:
Costs are down, sales are almost where we need them to be, but not quite. With your continued support through the Holiday season, we'll be able to serve you in 2014 and beyond.

The important take-away from this:
We need to end 2013 with a bang! If everyone joins together and spends $45 a month with us from now until the end of the year, you'll have great stuff to give all the playful people you know. And we'll be starting 2014 on the road to success.

To kick things off right, we're offering double-entries on your loyalty cards until Oct. 15th.

Want a longer answer to how we're doing? Read on.

Here's what we've been working on:

We've reduced expenses.
Moving our Edwardsville store from the beloved purple building to our new, window-wonderful spot near Dierbergs has been the most helpful.

We're expanding our customer base through:
1 - Outreach to new residents in the Edwardsville area, SIU-E students, and community involvement.
2 - Introducing our stores to expecting parents throughout the St. Louis area through The Bump magazine.
3 - Scheduling more happenings, like our game events, in venues other than schools.


We're changing our website.
Our website isn't serving our customers or our stores very well. So we're making major changes. Including going with a different way to handle online shoppers. We'll send another email with details on that once everything is ready to roll.

We're adding more gear, gifty things, and gadgety gizmos to our product mix.
Toys and games will always be at the heart of our operation. But we know that broadening our product mix to include things like lunch bags, Chew Beads, Mighty Wallets, and fiddly items will help draw a larger crowd.

Not smooth sailing...  Yet.

We're still facing some challenges. And they aren't impossible to overcome-- they're just going to need more work and a team effort.

Moving our Edwardsville location wasn't cheap.
And it happened at a slower time of year for us. So the expenses of that have eaten into our cash flow. The good news is that sales are slightly up for the store compared to this time last year. But then there was Clayton...

The Clayton store hasn't hit it's stride yet.
It opened almost a year ago, but the hoopla of that was quickly overwhelmed by the decision to close our Fairview Heights store. And then there was the bank. And then Edwardsville moved. So poor little Clayton hasn't received as much attention as it needed in it's first year. And that is a major reason for its less-than-stellar performance. We are putting more effort into meeting our neighbors, introducing ourselves to schools and civic organizations, and becoming active in the community.

And we're a little short of our Sales Goals overall...
Even with Edwardsville performing better than expected, we're a little short of where we need to be at this point in the year.

Summing it up:

We are in a good position that will only become better if we have a really strong Holiday season. With everyone's support, we know we can make it!

The target of $45 a month in purchases until the end of the year works out to $180 in Holiday shopping. So bring us your lists, try to stump us with your grumpy uncles and sullen teens. We've got the goods to crack 'em up when they open their gifts. That we wrapped for you. For free.

End result: You'll go down in family lore as the bestest gift-giver of all.

We know we couldn't be here without you. And we treasure the relationships we have with you and your children. We are always grateful that we're a part of your playful lives.

Thank You, a million-gazillion times.

So now that the grown-up talk is done,
let's shake off the serious and Play On!!!

Get Your Dancing Feet Ready!

We've got a new class offering for all you restless people...  It's time for you and your dancing feet to discover Nia!

We've got certified Nia instructors Liz Lane and Carleen Weber scheduled to hold small Nia classes at our Edwardsville, IL Happy Up location.

Nia Kidz is a non-competitive movement practice.  It combines movements and methods from Martial Arts, Modern, Classical, and Jazz dance forms, Yoga, and more!  It's dymanic and expressive.  It's a wonderful way to engage your body and mind in one activity.

Nia Kidz classes will help to develop the following areas:

• balance, co-ordination, and agility
• fine & gross motor skills
• encourages creativity and expression through movement
• strengthening social skills and participation in group activities
• improves attention span and following directions

And did we mention they're just crazy fun?
Just like the Kindermusic Playdates, the On The Move with Liz & Carleen Nia Kidz classes at Happy UP are a scaled down version of a full class.  It's a monthly chance to decide if a Nia is a good fit for you and your children.

Class time is from 11:30am - 12:00pm.  Fees are $5.00 for one child and one adult.  Additional family members are $2.00.  The registration form is available here:  Nia Kidz Registration Form
Classes will be on the 3rd Friday of every month:

September 20th
October 18th
November 15th

So fill out your registration form, turn it in along with your fee, at Happy Up in Edwardsville.  You can find us at:
6654-A Edwardsville Crossing Dr.
Edwardsville, IL  62025
(618) 656-9596

For more information about Liz & Carleen and their Nia classes, you can visit them on facebook here:  On The Move with Liz and Carleen's Facebook Page
or stop by their website:  On the Move with Liz and Carleen

Party with St. Louis Sprout!

Have you discovered St. Louis Sprout and About yet?  They're one of our favorite ways to stay on top of the kid-oriented events happening in the St. Louis area.  Through their weekly newsletter and website, you can find all kinds of great activities for any age.

And every year, they have a huge get-together to celebrate kids, families, and fun.  This year, we're invited!  We'll be helping to dish out an extra big helping of Happy Up Hijinks.  So come to the party!

Sept. 7th, 10am - 2pm at the Museum of Transport 

Admission is free!

For more info about the Sprout & About Celebration, visit their website.

We can hardly wait...  Hope we'll see you there!

Quick! Catch them while you can!

Childhood  is fleeting - and your little ones are changing and growing in a blink of an eye.  Catch them as they are with the help of renowned silhouette artist Erik Johnson.

We are delighted to have Erik Johnson, a third-generation silhouette artist, visiting both Happy Up stores!  Using surgical scissors, Erik is able to capture your child's likeness to an exacting degree.  It's magical to watch.  And did we mention that he's fast?  Like crazy-fast.  Each silhouette takes no more than five minutes.

You can find out more about Erik and his work on his facebook page:  Silhouettes by Erik

Call your nearest Happy Up Store to reserve your appointments - slots will fill up fast!

Thursday, Aug. 22nd from 11am - 1pm & 3:30pm - 6pm

Edwardsville Happy Up

6654-A Edwardsville Crossing Dr.

Edwardsville IL, 62025

(618) 656-9596

Click for a map

Sunday, Aug. 25th from 12pm - 4pm

Clayton Happy Up

8107 Maryland Ave.

St. Louis, MO  63105

(314) 725-2455

Click for a map

Original silhouettes are $25 each, copies are $15 each.  We know each of these works of art will become treasured keepsakes!

Grand Opening Hoopla for Edwardsville's Happy Up Inc!

Save the Date!
Join us on Saturday, June 29th, from 10am - 3pm while we raise a ruckus and celebrate our new name and new Edwardsville location!

We’re pretty close to having our plans finalized, and here’s what we have so far:

• 10am - Origami Workshop with Mike Ridinger - fold, crease, and repeat to create delicate works of art.
• 11am - Ribbon Cutting!  Official and serious people will handle sharp objects.
• 12:30pm - Kindermusik mini-session with Ellen Singh - you know how much we love to hear our customers make beautiful music!  And by “beautiful”, we mean barely controlled chaotic noises. 
• A Giant Perplexus puzzle ball will tie your puzzle skills in knots as you try to solve this massive brain teaser!

Thanks to toysaretools for the picture from the 2012 Toy Fair!

• Representatives of Edwardsville Robotics will be demonstrating what they do.  They’re a new group in town and are active in the FLL (FIRST Lego League).
  You can find out more about them on their facebook page:  https://www.facebook.com/pages/Edwardsville-Robotics/146725128836978
  And the FLL on their website here:  http://firstlegoleague.org/
• The UCP Heartland Center for Autism will have a table set up with information on their program and special needs resources.  You can learn more about this group on their website here:  http://www.ucpheartland.org/services/illinois-services/ucph-center-for-autism
• Shannon with Metamorphose Maternity will be demonstrating ways bigger kiddies can help care for their new baby brothers and sisters. you can learn more about Shannon on her website: http://www.metamorphosematernity.com/
• Feeling a little peckish?  We’ve got truly delicious floats planned.  Thanks to Wang Gang soda and Annie’s frozen custard, we’re going to have a crazy sugar buzz going!
• Give-aways and prizes all day long!

And of course, we'll have lots of toys and games open and ready for you (and the kiddos) to try out.  Our Do-Touch, Do-Play policy will be strictly enforced.  Giant Chicky will be keeping an eye on everyone and making sure this policy is not ignored.

So are you ready to help us celebrate?  Good!  See you on the 29th!

Our new location in Edwardsville is:
6654-A Edwardsville Crossing Dr.
Edwardsville, IL 62025
(618) 656-9596
 A map showing our new home is here:

New! Certified Sibs Class for Soon-to-be Brothers & Sisters

Moms and Dads aren’t the only ones in the family who are “expecting”.  They aren’t the only ones feeling a little nervous, a little excited, and really overwhelmed.  The whole family is expecting when Momma is pregnant.  And that includes the older siblings.

We’re delighted to host a new monthly event for the kiddos who are waiting for new babies.  Certified Siblings is a Big Brothers and Super Sisters bootcamp for kiddos from 2 to 10 yrs old.  Designed to help answer all of those questions, give the kiddos some skills, and get everybody ready for the new arrival, this is a class you’ll be glad to take!

Led by Shannon Lawton-O’Boyle, Certified Sibs will answer important questions like:

What is baby trying to say by crying?
Can babies play?
Is diaper changing REALLY that bad/stinky/scary/gross?
How do I hold the baby?
How can I help out?  I’m just a kid/I'm too little...

These questions and more will be answered!  Each class lasts about two hours, giving each child plenty of attention and time to absorb the information provided.  It’s also very educational for the parents.  Quite often, with the support of the group, your child may reveal feelings and concerns you didn’t know were there.

We’ll have snacks and everyone gets to take home a gift!  Sound good?  Great!
The class fee is $15 for one child, $5 for each additional sibling.
Registration is required, but super easy!  Fill out the form and select which class date works for you.  Turn it in, along with your fee, at Happy Up in Edwardsville, IL.

Here’s a link to the registration form:  Certified Sibs Registration Form

The schedule of classes for the summer is:

June 19, 10am
July 17, 10am
August 14, 10am

All classes will be held at Happy Up Inc, Edwardsville (once upon a time we were Once Upon a Toy).  Happy Up is located at 6654-A Edwardsville Crossing Drive, Edwardsville IL, 62025.  We’ve moved, so here’s a link to a map showing our new location:  Our New Happy Up Home!

If you have any questions, feel free to call the playful peeps at the store!  (618) 656-9596

So who is the person in charge of the class?
Shannon is the smiling face of Metamorphose Maternity.  She is a certified doula, lamaze educator, and lactation counselor.  Her primary goal is to support expecting families, before and after delivery.  Through individualized services, Shannon works with families to make the experience of having a new baby a magical time.  She leads several groups, including “Milk and Bookies” at Afterwords Books, that give nursing moms the opportunity to network, learn, and share their experiences.

You can learn more about Shannon on her website: Metamorphose Maternity
She’s also on facebook:  Metamorphose Maternity's Facebook Page

Giant Chicky Says "Come Play!"

It's been a week since we opened the doors to our new home in Edwardsville, IL.  We're getting settled in and have loved seeing everyone who has already been in to visit!

The decision to change locations wasn't easy--  but now that the hard labor and hard thinking is done, we're feeling really good.  It's a bright and open store, with enough room for all of the hijinks and silliness you expect from us.  So the address has changed, and our name has changed, but the reasons you love us remain!

So if you haven't visited yet, we can't wait to see you--  6654-A Edwardsville Crossing Drive, Edwardsville IL  62025

And here's a map to help you find your way (clicky to see a bigger version) --

Play on!

So what's in a name?

Quite a lot - history, memories, and a way to tidily sum up what something is.  For a business, the name is hugely important.

We have been Once Upon a Toy and LagoonaMagoo Toys.  This year has brought us upheaval, stress, heartbreak, hopefulness, joy, and overwhelming thankfulness.  We’ve been forced to take a long careful look at our entire business.  To make it, to succeed, to keep our heads above water and maybe even thrive, we need to eliminate the things that hurt us and put in place things that will help.

We have discovered that our store names are stumbling blocks.

Once Upon a Toy is a beloved destination for long-time Edwardsville residents.  The name doesn’t resonate in the rest of the world.  We are often confused with the children’s resale chain Once Upon a Child.  As we meet new people in the Edwardsville/Glen Carbon area, as well as in St. Louis, we are constantly needing to explain that “no, we don’t sell used stuff, you’re thinking of a different store”.  We’re sure this has hurt us for many years. 

LagoonaMagoo Toys is fun to say and fun to type.  Unfortunately, it is constantly misspelled and mispronounced.  We spend a lot of time correcting this.  A lot of our customers find us because of word of mouth.  If they don’t have the name right, we’re losing potential new friends!

With two store names and an umbrella corporate name, our marketing efforts haven’t been as effective as they should be.  With three logos and three names, the water is muddy.  By gathering everything under one name, we can have clarity and focus.  One name, one logo, one message.

We stock so much more than just toys and games for kids.  We carry products that appeal to grown-ups, too.  And we need a name that reflects the huge range of items on our shelves.  It’s not just toys - it’s gadgets and fiddly things and funny stuff and so much more.   We’re lightning in a bottle.  We’re crazy and clever and more than just “toys”.

We need a name that will let us move forward without the issues we’ve been trying to work with and and gloss over.  We need a fix, not a band-aid. 

Our customers and friends helped save us.  Now we have to take this opportunity and make sure we correct the things that aren’t working.  We are ready to embrace the future.

Now, we truly are, Happy Up Inc.

Once Upon a Toy says Goodbye Evil Pothole!

You mean thing.  You and your baby rattling ways will be in our rearview mirror very soon!  

While we're sad to say goodbye to our current location, we aren't sorry to say goodbye to the Evil Pothole in our driveway.  We've been working hard on getting our new space ready, and we're ready to announce our timeline!

Our last day for Once Upon a Toy to be open for business in our current location is Memorial Day, May 27th.  

We'll be closed from May 28th through the end of the month.  We'll be packing and moving and arranging and unpacking and re-arranging and packing and moving some more.  It'll be hard work, but we're eager to get into our new home.

We'll reopen at our new Edwardsville location, with our new name, June 1st.

Happy Up, Inc

6654-A Edwardsville Crossing Drive

Edwardsville, IL  62025

(618) 656-9596

So be ready to help us raise a ruckus - we're planning a big party to celebrate the new space and the new name as soon as everything is spiffed up, set up, and ready to Happy Up!

Tilted - made it happen, got the T-shirt!

You know you want one!

In honor of the moment the crowdtilt fundraiser Tilted, we have T-shirts! They're available in the stores or on our website.  Sizes are:

• Children's small, medium, & large.
• Adult Sm, Med, Lg, XL

Call to reserve yours at the store:
Once Upon a Toy in Edwardsville:  (618) 656-9596
LagoonaMagoo Toys in Clayton:  (314) 725-2455

If you want a ladies' fitted shirt or need an extended size larger than XL, please drop us an email for further instructions: help (at) happyupinc.com

Thank you again to everyone who helped tip us over the edge!

Avant Gardens Gift Certificate Goes to...

As some of you may remember, Avant-Gardens made a wonderful offer to those donating to the crowdtilt fundraiser - Whoever in Madison County gave the most, would get a gift certificate that would cover some of the labor for a landscaping project.  We are delighted to say that faithful toy store supporter Andi Smith, recently released from her role as Beyond Timbuktu owner, has been awarded the certificate!  We hope that Andi, with the help of Avant Gardens, will get a fabulous outdoor space to spend her luxuriously empty schedule.

Thank you again to Avant Gardens for their support.  If anyone would like more info about them, please visit their website:  http://www.agl4u.com/index.html

Play on!

Love Your Locals Part 2

It wasn't just the bricks and mortar establishments that stepped forward to pitch in and help us.  Many of our customers are artisans, sales reps, and distributors operating online and home-based businesses.  With their keyboards on fire, they lit up the interwebs with their enthusiasm and support.  A hearty thank you to our online Locals!

Here's the list, in disordered order:

Smock Paper Scissors - Semi-Private & Small Group Art Instruction for K - 12
http://www.smockpaperscissors.com/

Elizabeth Williams Jewelry - Hand-crafted jewelry
http://www.etsy.com/shop/eliwill

Premier Designs Jewelry through Sandra Conway
http://premierdesigns.com/jewelry.html

Pampered Chef through Michelle Schlueter
http://www.pamperedchef.biz/michelleschlueter

Thirty-One through Leslie Crone
https://www.mythirtyone.com/lcrone/
and through Emily Hobbs
https://www.mythirtyone.com/emilyhobbs/

AdvoCare - Nutrition, Health, and Fitness Supplements through Brittany Evans
https://www.advocare.com/130220867/

Park Lane Jewelry through Gwen Andersen
https://parklanejewelry.com/rep/gandersen

Uppercase Living through Jenn Hawkins
http://powerofwords.uppercaseliving.net/Home.m

Usborne Books through Afton Walden
https://u3194.myubam.com/YourConsultant

Mary Kay through Ellen Singh (who also leads our Kindermusik Playdates)
http://www.marykay.com/ellensingh

Avon at St. Clair Square
http://cmoonier.avonrepresentative.com/

Verve - Healthy Energy Drinks through Michelle Frisbee
http://www.vemma.com/verveenergy/index.cfm?referrer=598224602

Wilsey's Handmade Sweets (also available at Edwardsville's Chef's Shoppe!)
http://www.wilseyscakeballs.com/default.html

Stella & Dot through Charity Little
http://www.stelladot.com/sites/charitylittle

Arbonne through Rachel Byrnes
http://www.rachelbyrnes.myarbonne.com/
and through Jennie Ribbing
http://www.jenribbing.myarbonne.com/

Nerium through Amy Brown
http://www.nerium.com/default.aspx?ID=amyandjoshbrown


Once again, we send a heartfelt thank you!

If I missed anyone, leave a message in the comments and I'll add them as soon as I can!

Love your Locals, 'Cause they Love You Back!

We've always been proud to be a locally owned mom & pop shop.  We've always encouraged our customers to shop locally and support their community businesses.  When our current difficulties were made public, many of our fellow local businesses responded to our customers' call for help.  The offered support, percentages of their sales, and helped to get the word out about our precarious situation.  We are so very thankful to all of them.

Many of you have asked for a list of the businesses that stepped forward.  Here is the list, in no particular order:

What To Wear - Inspired Fashions for Women & Men
921 S. Arbor Vitae, Edwardsville, IL  62025
(618) 655-0222

To-Do's - The Ultimate Party Store
1702 Troy Rd., Edwardsville, IL  62025 
(618) 656-8899

Studio Eleven - Full Service Hair Salon
2921 N. Center St. Suite 3, Maryville, IL  62062 
(618) 288-7114

Annie's Frozen Custard
245 S. Buchanan, Edwardsville IL  62025 (original location)
(618) 656-0289
11 Illini Drive, Glen Carbon IL  62034 (new location across from Showplace 12)
(618) 692-0400

Wang Gang - Asian Eats
#4 Club Center Dr., Edwardsville IL  62025 (sorta kinda behind Moto Mart on 157)
(618) 655-0888

Papa Murphy's - Take n' Bake Pizza
207 Sanatorium, Edwardsville IL  62025
(618) 656-7272

Avon at St. Clair Square
134 St. Clair Square, Fairview Heights, IL  62208
(618) 628-3599

Tot Spot Children's Resale Shop
405 E. Vandalia St., Edwardsville, IL  62025
(618) 656-4000

Ooh La La Spa
110 Cottonwood Rd., Glen Carbon, IL  62034
(618) 288-9117

Chef's Shoppe - Gourmet Kitchen Store (and deeelicious popcorn!)
2320 Troy Rd., Edwardsville, IL  62025
(618) 659-9840

Bin 51 Wine & Spirits
200 S. Buchanan St., Edwardsville, IL  62025
(618) 307-5909

Olive Oils & More
202 S. Buchanan St., Edwardsville IL  62025
(618) 656-4645

Avant Gardens - Landscape Design
(618) 288-5800

Afterwords Bookstore - New Location Open Soon!
232 S. Buchanan St., Edwardsville IL 62025
(618) 655-0355

Simply Smiles Dentistry
100 Magnolia Dr., Glen Carbon IL  62034
(618) 288-9020

MacXprts Apple Specialists
1041 Century Dr., Edwardsville IL  62025
(618) 655-0945

Enclave Edwardsville
1063 S. State Route 157, Edwardsville IL  62025
(618) 655-0050

Slagle Financial
419 St. Louis St., Edwardsville IL  62025
(618) 692-1657

Tor Hoerman Law
101 W. Vandalia Ste #350, Edwardsville IL  62025
(618) 656-4400

Boxing Clever - St. Louis Advertising Agency
1017 Olive, St. Louis, MO  63103
(314) 446-1861

Henderson Associates Architects
309 N. Main St. #311, Edwardsville, IL 62025
(618) 656-6618

Garwood's Heating & Cooling
4548 N. State Route 157, Edwardsville, IL  62025
(618) 656-9386

Sherrill Associates
116 West St., Edwardsville, IL  62025
(618) 656-9251

All-Natural Pet Center
7139 Marine Rd, Edwardsville IL  62025
(618) 655-1630

Edwardsville Flea Market
1506 Troy Rd., Edwardsville, IL  62025
(618) 655-0875

Modern Wholesale Supply
7103 Marine Rd, Edwardsville IL  62025
(618) 656-2197

Lory Theater
810 Main St., Highland, IL  62249
(618) 882-4977

We were also blessed by the support of some locally operating online businesses.  As soon as that list is compiled, I'll get it posted.

If I missed anyone, I am so very sorry!  Please leave a message in the comments and I'll fix the error as soon as possible.

The Monsters are Grateful, Delighted, and Giddy!

The fundraising effort to help save Once Upon a Toy in Edwardsville and LagoonaMagoo Toys in Clayton was successful beyond anything we could imagine.  We are extremely grateful to all of the individuals, groups, and businesses that pitched in to help us.  The support and care is both overwhelming and awe-inspiring.

In the facebook group that started it all, our fearless leader Shawnta' posted the following:

"I can't believe what has just happened! This entire process has been epic and fairy tale like! We're totally humbled by the support of our family, friends, employees, customers and other local businesses. None of this could have happened without you. This story is actually about a group of people who worked together to make something happen out of love, not just about a small business who was gifted a second chance. I wish the entire country could see what you've accomplished. Hopefully this shows the fragility of local businesses and the importance of the community choosing to support them. You people have made a powerful and important statement!"

The funds raised are giving us a second chance.  It isn't the perfect answer, it doesn't guarantee a happy ending.  It gives us the room and the space to work and create and find our way through.  We now have the opportunity to fix the things that aren't working.  And for this chance we are all so very grateful. 

Shawnta' also posted a list of promises that we pinky swear to never ever forget:

• We promise you a happy place to come on rainy days!
• We promise you feel you are appreciated as customers every time you are in our store!
• We promise to walk cautiously with this gift of a chance and to do our best to not let you down!
• We realize the opportunity we have been given and are not going to take it for granted.
• As always "DO TOUCH, DO PLAY!" remains the motto!!

Thank you thank you thank you.

A Sliver of Hope...

As soon as our email hit the inboxes of some of our loyal customers, they sprang into action and decided the Happy Up stores would not go down without a fight.  We are forever grateful to these passionate and playful souls for their motivation, energy, and sheer determination.

With the help of a facebook group and the in-progress fundraising effort, the bank has agreed to *not* call in the loan. 
If the fundraising goal can be met by Friday (3/15).
It's a tall order.  No matter the outcome, we know we are blessed to have a community of friends and customers that treasure Once Upon a Toy in Edwardsville and LagoonaMagoo Toys in Clayton. 

A statement from the owners, Rick Harmon & Shawnta' Ray, was posted on the facebook group page explaining a bit more about the situation and thanking everyone for their desire to help.  You can read it here:  A Message from Shawnta' & Rick

Beyond what this outpouring of support means to Rick and Shawnta', the rest of the Happy Up Crew (those smiling faces behind the counter and on the floor playing with your kids and speed-wrapping and making the experience of buying toys as much fun as the toys themselves) are so very grateful, too.

Thank You to all who are helping us, and our worried monsters, find a sliver of hope in a harsh situation.

#savethetoystore

Knock knock... Guess who...

 

 The Unimaginable is knocking at the door.
And no, it's not some worried looking monsters.

Some of you may have already heard...  for those of you who haven't:

The bank has called our loan and wants their money now.  We're looking at options, but nothing looks very hopeful at this point.  As soon as we know what the next steps will be, we'll let you know.  We are trying to stay optimistic and are exploring every possible scenario.  But in the meantime...

Once Upon a Toy and LagoonaMagoo are closing for inventory starting on Sunday (March 10) through Wednesday (March 13). 

Come in today (Friday the 8th) and Saturday for extra fun and Happy Up hijinks.  We're cleaning out and sorting through all sorts of things--  this translates into freebies and opportunities for silliness. 

This would be an *excellent* time to use your gift certificates.
Really.  Don't delay. 

So come in, hang out, goof off, and help us celebrate the importance of play!

We hope to see you very very soon.

Put us on the A-List!

The St. Louis Magazine's A-List Reader's Choice Poll is open.  

And OMYGOODNESSGRACIOUS!!!

LagoonaMagoo Toys in Clayton and Once Upon a Toy in Edwardsville are both nominated to the list. We can hardly keep our excitement contained.  Getting one of our stores on the A-List would be beyond terrific.

To make the grade, we need your vote!

It’s super easy.  Just follow this link: http://www.stlmag.com/St-Louis-Magazine/A-List-Readers-Choice-Poll-2013/

You can vote for all the wonderful businesses in the different categories, or you can skip ahead to the toy stores and vote for one of our stores.  Either way, we need your support to get an “A”.
Voting ends on Feb. 21st, so please spread the word and tell your friends!

Thank you for your vote!

Puzzling for SPEED ... and gift certificates!

 

So...  how fast are your jigsaw puzzle skills?

This week, come to Once Upon a Toy in Edwardsville or LagoonaMagoo Toys in Clayton and get puzzled!  We're timing you...  or your family or small group (no more than 5 people, please) as you complete a 63 piece jigsaw puzzle.  Fastest time in each store wins a $25 gift certificate!

We're running the competition through Saturday, Feb. 2nd.  We can't wait to meet the fastest puzzlers around!

And to keep the fun going at home, we're offering 15% off all jigsaw puzzles, too!

Are you ready?  On your mark...  Get Set...  

Puzzle!

Thank You and So Long from LagoonaMagoo

After 18 years in the Fairview Heights area, the doors to LagoonaMagoo Toys are now closed.
We worked so very hard to make our Fairview Heights location a success. Sadly, the operating costs were too high and the store was not profitable. So for the health of our other locations, we’ve needed to close LagoonaMagoo Toys in Fairview Heights. While we’re sorry to see the end, it is a necessary sorrow.

We want to thank each and every one of you who has supported us in this difficult decision. And we want to thank all of our wonderful customers and friends who have supported us for so many years. We hope you’ll travel north on 159 to Edwardsville and see us at Once Upon a Toy. If you’re over in the Clayton area, we’d love to have you pop in and say “hello” at our new LagoonaMagoo Toys.

If you have gift certificates or store credits, you can redeem them at Once Upon a Toy in Edwardsville or the LagoonaMagoo in Clayton. If you can’t make it to these stores, call Once Upon a Toy at (618) 656-9596 and we’ll see if we can make other arrangements for you.

Again, Thank You.

--Shawnta’, Rick, & the rest of the Happy Up Crew

The End is Near! Are you Ready?

Slowly but surely we're getting the LagoonaMagoo Toys in Fairview Heights emptied out.  We've reached a point where *slowly* isn't what we need.  Now, we need things to zip, zoom, fly, hustle, and dash out the door.  Starting today, everything in the store is now 40% off.

And we still have fixtures available, too.  We've posted an album on facebook:  Fixtures for Sale

If you're interested in any of them, call LagoonaMagoo at (618) 628-9270 or stop by.  

There are only a handful of days left, so don't wait!

Ooops! Correcting Times for the Kindermusik Playdates

Whoops!
In our previous post we said there would be *two* sessions for the Kindermusik Playdates.  That's not right...  For now we are only offering one.

So the correct time for the upcoming playdate on Dec. 10 is:

11am

The times for the rest of the playdates have been corrected and can be seen here:  2013 Playdate Schedule at Once Upon a Toy

We are sooo sorry for any confusion!

New Year, New Schedule for the Kindermusik Playdates!

Are you ready to shake your tailfeathers?  Good!  The first Kindermusik Playdate is coming soon: 
Thursday January 10th, with sessions at 10 & 11am. 

Spaces fill quickly, so if you want to give it a try, don't wait too long.
Want to see when the rest are scheduled?  Just click on through:  2013 Kindermusik Playdates at Once Upon a Toy

See ya there!