Independent toy stores across Canada are gearing up to celebrate the first-ever national Neighbourhood Toy Store Day, Saturday, November 12, 2011.

More than 50 independent specialty toy stores, belonging to Neighbourhood Toy Stores of Canada (NETS), will feature activities, contests, prizes, giveaways and much more on November 12, allowing children and parents to experience the ‘wow' factor of shopping at their local ‘neighbourhood' toy store.
Activities and special offers will vary from store to store and include the likes of scavenger hunts for families and ‘pirates'; a tea party with Cinderella; crafts with Elmo and Dora; balloon-popping for on-the-spot discounts; a ‘play day' with Groovy Girl character; an indoor ‘sidewalk sale' with up to 40% off selected items; a Marshmallow Shooter Tournament; the opportunity for kids and parents to be photographed as a Princess or a Knight; Perplexus Challenges, face-painting and much, much more!

"Neighbourhood Toy Store Day is about spoiling our customers and having a lot of ‘little' stores make a ‘big' noise," said Patti Taggart, President of NETS and owner of Tag Along Toys, Ottawa.

"Our retail members will be rewarding regular and first-time customers with fun activities, discounts, draws and giveaways and using Neighbourhood Toy Store Day to show off the unsurpassed customer service and product knowledge offered by their staff every day of the week."
Most stores will be festively ‘dressed' for the coming holiday season and many will be distributing the just released 2011 NETS Holiday Catalogue. This season's 20-page NETS Catalogue features ten 2011 Gold Star Award winning products, recognized for their ‘exceptional' play value, plus more than 130 favourite toy picks voted on by NETS retailers. Loaded with colourful graphics, products descriptions and pricing, each of the toys and games is organized in an easy-to-use format under the various themes of ‘Latest & Greatest'; Active Play; Construction; Games & Puzzles; Imagination; Infant & Toddler; Preschool; Science & Nature; Arts & Crafts; and stocking stuffers referred to as ‘Finishing Touches'.

"Like our friends in the U.S. at the American Specialty Toy Retailing Association (ASTRA), who launched Neighbourhood Toy Store Day in 2010 and will be celebrating this again along with NETS on November 12, we want people to know that we offer a shopping experience that is high on quality and low on stress, quite distinct from that offered by ‘big box' and chain stores," said Taggart.

"We also want people to realize that when you do ‘shop local' you are making a vital contribution to the well-being of your community," she added.
Local businesses, like the independent toy retailers belonging to NETS, make vital contributions to a community's character and economy. They enrich their community through supporting local sports, school initiatives and child-related charities, building relationships with customers and getting to know them by name, employing local services and bringing unique products to the marketplace.

You can expect a more personal, less stressful shopping experience at a local neighbourhood toy store. Next to product knowledge, customer service stands out as the most definitive feature, distinguishing the local toy store experience from that of chain and ‘big box' stores. Other than your neighbourhood toy store, who would you expect to --

• arrange for speedy deliveries in customer emergencies ie) missing doll or favourite stuffed animal, a forgotten gift?
• keep packages at the store while customers run errands?
• carry packages to the car?
• deliver a new bike to a customer's home, fully assembled?
• track down old board game rules that are out of print?
• help find missing parts to toys?
• research products online for customers?
• assemble products for customers in-store or in-home?
• inflate bicycle tires for kids riding by the store?
• change batteries in already purchased products?
• keep children amused while parents shop?
• offer free, monthly ‘game nights' where parents can learn a new board
game before purchasing?
For further information on Neighbourhood Toy Stores of Canada (NETS) and details of Neighbourhood Toy Store Day celebrations at member locations go to www.neighbourhoodtoystores.ca.

Neighbourhood Toy Stores of Canada (NETS) is a network of Canadian-owned specialty toy stores owned and staffed by people, usually parents themselves, who are passionate about connecting children with fascinating, quality-made toys and games to engage them in fun and learning. Product news and special offers are updated regularly on the NETS Facebook page at www.facebook.com/NeighbourhoodToyStores.