Toy Store
The toy store is a sacred place. It is a place that fosters curiosity and wonder, while simultaneously inviting us to a playful connection with our neighbors and neighborhood.
A toy store stocks its shelves not only with dolls, games, craft kits, and racecars, but also with an unspoken element of magic. What may appear to be a simple toy can open portals to other worlds in the imagination. In the act of play, there are gentle invitations to take risks, try new things, imagine possibilities, and perhaps discover a spark that grows into a lifelong love. As an adult, a simple walk through a toy store can transport us back in time to our childhood. Magic indeed.
A local toy store provides the unique gift of personal connection to our neighbors and neighborhood. In contrast to online shopping, visiting the physical space of a toy store offers an embodied experience: a conversation with a friendly employee who can offer recommendations, an opportunity to hold an item in your hand or give it a test, and a slower pace to note what captures your child’s attention. It connects us to those with whom we browse the aisles, saying “Look at this!”, but also to individual employees with unique voices, faces, names, and smiles. In this act of connecting, we learn to see and know our neighbors.
Timbuk Toys is an independent specialty toy retailer with several locations in Denver. Founded in 1993 by Sallie Kashiwa, the company’s mission statement holds steady in their desire to connect customers to the joy of play, imagination, and discovery. They first began as a tiny store in Park Hill under the name Presents of Mind, later changing the name in 1997 alongside a relocation to University Hills. Over the years, additional locations were added in Lowry Town Center, Aspen Grove, and the Shops at Northfield. Across the years of growth and change, they have consistently emphasized the importance of play, offering toys that promote learning and exploring.
Timbuk Toys graciously provides a gathering place for neighbors by hosting events such as their Annual Hot Wheels Derby, donation drives for charity partners, holiday happenings, and Lego Make & Take events. They offer weekly storytimes with Mr. Paul, complete with songs, puppets, and balloon animals. These occasions provide an atmosphere for kids and parents alike to join in the fun and perhaps make a new friend.
While they offer an expertly curated inventory, it’s the staff that truly sets Timbuk Toys apart from large box-stores. These fun-loving employees range from high schoolers to senior citizens, with a variety of backgrounds. They are the reason locals rave about the friendly atmosphere and exceptional customer service. Employees of Timbuk Toys are neighbors doing what they love, and in doing so, they create a welcoming space that is light and playful, a bit of a respite from an often heavy world.
In a culture racing with productivity, it is easy to forget the importance of wonder, curiosity, and play. As we live out our faith in the context of community it is a gift to have the local toy store to gently remind us of the levity and creativity of life. The toy store is a sacred place.
