Amy Rutherford, owner of Red Barn Mercantile and Penny Post in Alexandria, said on Facebook that when the toy store Why Not? closed in Old Town in 2016, she considered “pivoting Penny Post to become a toy store.” But she didn’t. Instead, she opened Pippin Toy Co. last November.
“It was a sad day in Alexandria when Why Not? closed,” Rutherford said in a news release. “Kids and parents alike have long awaited a toy store. While we can never replace that beloved institution, we have given it our best try.”
Now, Pippin Toy Co. at 1310 King St. holds its grand opening on Saturday, April 27.
From 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., the store plans to have face painting, a balloon artist, temporary tattoos, crafts, and healthy snacks. It will offer a gift with a purchase and chances to win prizes, while supplies last.
In the morning, the store will gear its activities toward younger kids, and then in the afternoon toward older ones.
Rutherford, in a post on the nonprofit Alexandria Stylebook, said Pippin started the toy store in a corner of Red Barn Mercantile before the pandemic, with Lesley McGrew as its buyer. “She took a sad little corner of our store and grew it to half of the back room. Her enthusiasm for children and what they love was instrumental in bringing Pippin Toy Co. to life. Without her, I can safely say Pippin would not be here,” she wrote.
The deal for Pippin Toy Co. to have its own shop just a block from Penny Post and two from Red Barn Mercantile took a year to complete, Rutherford wrote. She said as she and her real estate agent met with the landlord in the toy section of Red Barn Mercantile, her agent proceeded to tell the landlord about how wonderful Why Not? had been to the community. It was at that moment that a customer walked up to them. The customer turned out to be Kate Schlabach, who owned Why Not? for 47 years.
“She said, ‘I’m Kate. I’m Why Not?’ There she was — the owner of our beloved toy store. I told her what I was doing and asked her what she thought. She gave us her blessing and told the landlords how wonderful our kids’ selection was,” Rutherford wrote.
“Call it fate, divine intervention, luck, or coincidence if you like. I call it magic.”
Feature image courtesy Pippin Toy Co.
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