-
Hazel Cooper, 7, sings and dances at Yonder Community Toy Shop in Easthampton, owned by Danielle Curry, while others do art and play games. After a soft opening, the store officially opens on Tuesday. -
Danielle Curry, owner of Yonder Community Toy Shop in Easthampton, watches as Hazel Cooper, 7, plays with a spinning top at the play space. After a soft opening, the store officially opens on Tuesday. -
Sadie Oran, 7, works on an art project at Yonder Community Toy Shop in Easthampton, owned by Danielle Curry, while others play games, build forts and explore. -
Emily Anderson works on a puzzle with her son, Elliott Cooper, 5, at Yonder Community Toy Shop in Easthampton, owned by Danielle Curry. -
Sloane Taylor, 7, organizes wooden food items at Yonder Community Toy Shop in Easthampton, owned by Danielle Curry, while others do art and play games on Tuesday afternoon.
EASTHAMPTON — Yonder Community Toy Shop, the latest addition to the city’s business scene, aspires to offer much more than just a place for children of all ages to buy their favorite toys.
Owner Danielle Curry has been dreaming about opening a business for years. But when she stumbled across the property at 186 Northampton St., Unit E, she found a space to make her dreams a reality.
“It’s not just for young kids, it’s for the young of heart,” Curry said about the shop. “Play is for everyone.”
After a soft launch that started on July 11, the shop will open its doors to the community for good on Tuesday, and will be open Tuesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
“It means everything,” Curry said about opening the shop. “I have been dreaming about this for such a long time and moving to Easthampton has always felt like such a natural move for me and my family. To be able to contribute in this way means so much.”
About a year ago, Curry participated in the Easthampton Chamber of Commerce Co-Starters program, helping prepare her to make the business come to fruition.
At its core, the business offers a variety of wooden block toys, pretend play items and artistic materials for purchase. However, just behind the shop at the front entrance is a recreation space for families to come spend time, play and relax.
“The toys that I have are really open-ended so any age can dive in and create something,” Curry said. “You can make it a play kitchen or a laboratory. When you walk around, nothing is very specific.”
The “Rec Room” is designed to offer multiple zones for children to explore. The area includes open space where children can choose to shoot on the basketball hoop or relax in the small foam pit. For art and nature lovers, the craft room offers artistic materials and a sensory station with sand, rocks and other natural materials. The garden patio behind the shop offers a place for families to get some fresh air and spend time outside. If you want to put on a show, the wooden stage, dollhouse and playhouse were custom-built to engage in pretend play.
“I have always imagined having a space for the community,” Curry said. “The idea changed from a preschool to a community center to an arts studio, and then it landed on this because now I can do a little bit of everything. … I had my eyes open for spaces in Easthampton and I knew what I was looking for and what I needed.”
Curry has been involved in child care her whole life, working as a babysitter and at summer camps when she was a kid. Previously, she worked at the Springfield Museums as a school program coordinator for about 10 years and served stints at the Hampshire College and Arcadia Wildlife Sanctuary child care centers.
She emphasized her love for wooden toys, making sure to offer a diverse collection of wooden figures and blocks for purchase. Other toys offered include stuffed animals, balls and toys intended for outside play, kitchen and food items, and more.
For access to the Rec Room, customers can pay a one-day drop-in fee of $10 per child or select from one of the membership options. The “Roots” membership costs $75 monthly and the “Taproots” membership is designed for children enrolled in homeschooling programs, costing $90 monthly. Youth that are unhoused or in foster care are offered a free “Gold Star” membership. Memberships allow everyone from a family daily access to the Rec Room and discounts on toys.
“The membership is to really give parents an ease of entry,” Curry said. “If they are members they can just walk in and play. … If that’s not going to work with everyone’s budget, then there is a $10 drop-in option.”
The space will be available to reserve for parties, and group play sessions start at a rate of $375 for two and a half hours. Memberships offer a 50% discount on group session rentals and a 25% discount on birthday parties. Additionally, Curry plans to hold free birthday parties for Gold Star members.
“I looked at a few different businesses that did similar things and crafted something that I think would work for this community,” Curry said.
While Curry originally wanted to open a preschool, she shifted the idea, modeling the business after “play cafes” and adding a twist to offer a toy shop rather than a cafe.
“I’m so excited to meet people,” Curry said. “I’m a little bit more of an introvert so I’m excited to have people come here so I can get to know them and show them the space so they can learn about us. … I’m just here for the community, so if you have an idea for how you can use this space, let me know.”
Curry said she was inspired by the Japanese concept “Ikigai,” a philosophy that entails finding something you love, something the world needs, something you are good at and something you get paid for.
“I said to myself, ‘I can do that,’ and this is what happened,” Curry said.
More information can be found at yondertoyshop.com.
Sam Ferland can be reached at sferland@gazettenet.com
