Shortly after Avalon School lets out in the afternoon these days, you can bet your disposable income on a bunch of kids flocking to Island Toy Store & More.
Perhaps they come more than usual these days as the magic of Christmas Day approaches. Probably it’s because no one in town might have a more direct line to Santa and his elves than Leslie Grange, who with her husband Michael, recently took over ownership of the formerly titled Island Toy Store from the previous owner, Fred Bogenschutz.
Shortly after Avalon School lets out in the afternoon these days, you can bet your disposable income on a bunch of kids flocking to Island Toy Store & More.
Perhaps they come more than usual these days as the magic of Christmas Day approaches. Probably it’s because no one in town might have a more direct line to Santa and his elves than Leslie Grange, who with her husband Michael, recently took over ownership of the formerly titled Island Toy Store from the previous owner, Fred Bogenschutz.
Grange and her store manager, Andrea Morison, welcome the kids as they arrive. One little boy of about 5 years old near the front door shows off the new break dance moves he recently learned. Meanwhile, other children search the aisles for new and fascinating arrivals among the store’s expanding stock.
Mostly, however, it’s a toy story. You might say that toys are in Grange’s blood.
“My first fulltime job was with Mattel Toys,” she said. “My mom worked as a toy tester for Mattel and my brother is a big collector of Hot Wheels.”
Grange’s knowledge of what boys and girls like extended to her career as a schoolteacher, specializing in students from kindergarten through sixth-grade.
“I really like working with kids,” she said, adding that there are not a lot of available teaching jobs these days. She is doing some substitute work for Avalon Schools, but the toy store is also helping her follow her passion.
“We opened on Nov. 1,” Leslie Grange said. “We were not aiming to start near the holiday season. It just worked out that way. We have already added many new items and redecorated the store.”
Indeed, they have, according to customers who frequented the shop at 233 Sumner Ave., before the Granges took it over. It has a new, more kid-friendly flavor and a more dazzling array of toys and other products.
“We’ve been bringing in a lot of hands-on, educational products and scientific kits,” she said. “We are also working with the schools and Jennifer Lavelle (recreation coordinator) at the city to see how we can get more involved with the community and help serve their needs.”
The Granges’ are animal lovers as seen in their store mascot and family pet, their playful pug dog Django—named after Django Reinhardt, the pioneering virtuoso jazz guitarist and composer.
“We are also going to be bringing in a line of pet products,” Grange said. “We are really excited about that.”
Other new lines of products the Granges are adding to the toy store include CDs and video games.
“The video games are really a big hit,” she said.
With the new adventure of getting into the toy store business, the Granges will add some new faces to this weekend’s Shop At Home event, in which they will be participating. They are also planning to offer party supplies and start a preferred customer program.
“We are also going to start a birthday registry,” she said.
Meanwhile, their new business venture is a family affair for the Granges’, who purchased a house on Sumner Avenue in 1999.
Since then, they have lived part time on the Island and over town. The Granges have two sons, Tyler, 14, and Jesse, 9. When the boys are not busy with their Junior Lifeguard activities on the mainland, they can be found helping out at the toy store.
“When is Jesse coming back?” one boy asked Leslie Grange on Wednesday afternoon, attesting to her sons’ popularity with Avalon kids. “He’ll be here soon,” she assured him.
Although her husband’s day job is on the mainland, running a customs products promotional business, Michael Grange can often be found on weekend evenings playing music with other Avalon musicians in the local pub circuit.
“He has two CDs out,” his wife exclaims proudly.
Leslie Grange said the family is excited about their new business venture and plan to be in it for the long term.
“It’s a nice idea to think we could sort of retire in Avalon, running a toy store,” she said.
