Village Toy Shop Hilo About Us

It Takes a Village to Grow a Toy Shop

Village Toy Shop celebrated her 'sixth birthday' this summer and we are delighted to let you know that the business is still growing! And we have YOU to thank!

It does 'take a village' to grow locally owned, independent businesses. We are here to serve our customers, who are our family, neighbors and friends. It is your support, input, requests and ideas that keep us going.

We are here because of you.

Village Toy Shop has had many, many wonderful teachers, advisors and supporters over these past five years. Starting with Constance Cate of the Small Business Development Center and her class on ‘How to Write a Business Plan’. She informed us of the many services available from the Small Business Administration to help small businesses get started and keep going. Her most important words to me were, "Join an Association".

Right away we joined the ‘American Specialty Toy Retailers Association’ (ASTRA). The members of my association, who are other toy store owners, generously share their knowledge and expertise and are willing to answer any question I may have. We are connected by email, Facebook and message boards so I get daily lessons on vendors, products, operations, procedures, management, sales, marketing and much, much more.

Last year year we met Manly Kanoa at HFS Federal Credit Union and were guided, step by step in the through the Small Business Administration Loan process. This led us to contact SCORE, Counselors to America’s Small Business, a Resource Partner with the U.S. Small Business Administration. It was our great fortune to meet Mr. Steve Yamami who was instrumental in getting all the forms and financial worksheets put together. In June, Village Toy Shop brought some of those Federal Recovery Act funds to Hilo by getting loan approval!

And then there are all the wonderful customers who make this all possible.

The Moms and Dads, Grandparents, Friends, Teachers, Aunts and Uncles of the beautiful children of our community. We are proud to say our toys are in classrooms around East Hawaii from preschool through high school.

Teachers and administrators of Child and Family Services, Keiki Steps, the YWCA, Head Start, School Based Behavioral Health, People Attentive to Children (PATCH) and many others have found valuable ‘tools for learning’ at Village Toy Shop.

Mahalo nui loa, I am delighted to be ‘Hilo’s Toy Lady’.