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.