"[People] can play it like solitaire."

—Andy Detling, owner, Whoops & Colo., Madison, Wisc., February 2006

 

"Flying Monkeys (from California Creations). They're about 8" long with a cape and mask and have stretchable hands. You pull them back and let them go and they scream and fly across the room. They're a hot item now. We've had them for about three months."

—Jane Beck, owner, B J Beck's Toys, Cedarburg, Wisc., December 2006

www.bjbeckstoys.com

 

"I guess I go to NSSEA mainly to see the new products and flip through the book. Otherwise it's only the catalog."

—Mary Schedjick, owner, Educare Learning Center, Oshkosh, Wisc., November 2006

 

"Kids love these; they're by far the most popular thing on the rack. I don't think a kid can leave without buying a Geode."

—Kim Walter, manager, Giggles, Stoughton, Wisc., October 2005

 

"North American Bear has cute $10 purses."

—Bobbi Dickinson, owner, Next Generation of Stoughton, Stoughton, Wisc., December 2005. She was the first retailer to alert TDmonthly readers to popularity of Ganz's Webkinz. www.toydirectory.com/monthly/article.asp?id=1704

 

"Some Frisbees and discs are good. BeamO is popular now."

—Jenny Goodlund, manager, J T Puffin's, Madison, Wisc., December 2006

www.puffins.com

 

"Stokke KinderZeat is absolutely a wonderful chair. It lasts a long time, so it has value. It's nicely made with great colors that are bright."

—Peg Scholtes, owner, Capitol Kids LTD, Madison, Wisc., August 2006

www.capitolkids.com

 

"Thomas Wooden Railroad. This is what we started the business on and what we've built it on. If our stock of Thomas is low, our sales are down overall. If our stock is up, we increase sales."

—Holly Owellette, owner, Learning Train Toys, Sun Prairie, Wisc., July 2006

www.learningtraintoys.com

 

"We carry mostly Corolle. They are our best sellers."

—Phillip Anderson, manager, The Laboratory Toy Store, Kenosha, Wisc., December 2006

 

"We have great flying toys. In fact, I think I'm reincarnated from a year-old boy. I just love them! We have great rockets, and Demos hanggliders are greate for us. They're extreme planes designed to go far."

—Harriet Story, owner – 3 years, Leaping Lizards!, Mineral Point, Wisc., July 2006