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Laser Pegs Launches Junior Collection at ASTRA

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LaserPegsJuniorLaser Pegs Ventures is launching Laser Pegs Junior, a line designed specifically for 4 to 7 year olds. The line uses larger parts, features simpler assembly, and has pieces compatible with all Laser Peg kits. Each kit features multiple STEM-friendly builds, including Space, Rescue, Construction, Jets, and Trains. These five kits are the initial unveiling of a long-term plan to add additional products to this collection.

Laser Pegs Junior will have its own logo and packaging and its bricks will be made in new colors. Packaging also will include a “try me” button so kids and adults can try the Laser Pegs light up feature in retail stores.


ASTRA to Honor Steven Aarons at Annual Awards Breakfast

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PrintThe American Specialty Toy Retailing Association (ASTRA) will honor specialty toy retailer and industry leader Steven Aarons, owner of the Barstons Child’s Play toy stores in the Washington, DC area at Marketplace & Academy with the Lifetime Achievement Award.

A veteran of more than 30 years in the toy industry, Aarons was involved in several ASTRA initiatives that positioned the specialty side for the industry for increased visibility among consumers—including the Best Toys for Kids awards program and Neighborhood Toy Store Day. He also provided leadership to the trade with supporting growth of ASTRA’s Marketplace & Academy and encouraging ASTRA’s efforts on sales tax fairness and toy safety issues. Aarons also chaired the ASTRA Board of Directors from 2010 to 2011.

ASTRA will present Aarons with the Lifetime Achievement Award at its annual Awards Breakfast and Business Meeting, which will be held June 6 at the Colorado Convention Center in Denver, Colorado.

ASTRA Certifies 28 New Play Experts

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Play_EXPERTThe American Specialty Toy Retailing Association (ASTRA) has chosen 28 specialty toy retailers, sales representatives, and manufacturers to earn the ASTRA Certified Play Expert credential during ASTRA’s first in-person certification workshop held from Sept. 10 to 11 in Chicago, Ill.

The CPE Workshop provides networking opportunities, dynamic discussions, and hands-on activities to further support the message on the value of play. ASTRA also offers the option of becoming a Certified Play Expert with an online course with 10 modules followed by tests to confirm the candidate’s learning that can be completed at a pace that works best for the candidate. Click here for more information.

Nearly 140 First-Time Exhibitors to Participate at ASTRA’s Marketplace

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ASTRAMarketplaceThemeOne hundred and thirty-eight toy manufacturers will be participating for the first time at the American Specialty Toy Retailing Association‘s (ASTRA) upcoming Marketplace & Academy. The exhibit hall, ASTRA’s largest ever, is sold out. 

Companies will be showing product that are not available yet anywhere, giving specialty retailers the opportunity to be the first to offer them in their communities. ASTRA’s Marketplace & Academy will be held from June 25 to 28 in Philadelphia, Penn.

Toy Manufacturers Support Scholarship Fund for ASTRA Retailers

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logoSeveral toy manufacturers have contributed to a scholarship fund to help American Specialty Toy Retailing Association (ASTRA) retailers facing financial hardship attend ASTRA’s 2017 Marketplace & Academy event in Philadelphia. This event will take place from June 25 through 28.

Those who contribute $1,000 or more to the scholarship fund will be featured in an article of the ASTRA Toy Times Magazine September issue. They will also receive recognition at the annual business meeting in the ASTRA Digest.

Hands-On Toy Store to be Built on ASTRA’s Marketplace & Academy Show Floor

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ASTRAlogoThe American Specialty Toy Retailing Association (ASTRA)‘s 2017 Marketplace & Academy will include a live, hands-on, experiential toy store—complete with product demonstrations, enthusiastic staff, and giveaways—on the exhibit hall floor.

Called the Neighborhood Toy Store Day Experience (NTSD Experience), the demonstration will offer tools to help retailers make the most of Neighborhood Toy Store Day on Nov. 11. The event will feature complimentary planning resources, hot products, and special offers from specialty-focused manufacturers—all designed to kick start fourth quarter and holiday season sales.

ASTRA’s Marketplace & Academy will be held June 25 to 28 in Philadelphia. The NTSD Experience is proudly supported by Ann Williams, Blue Orange Games, Crazy Aaron’s Puttyworld, Green Toys, HABA USA, MindWare Wholesale, Neat-Oh! International LLC, ORB, and Thames & Kosmos.

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ASTRA Adds Industry Service Pavilion to Marketplace & Academy

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ASTRAMarketplaceThemeAn Industry Service Pavilion will be available for attendees on the exhibit floor at American Specialty Toy Retailing Association (ASTRA)‘s 2017 Marketplace & Academy.

ASTRA affiliate partners participating in the Industry Service Pavilion may provide show-only specials and additional resources to ASTRA attendees who visit the pavilion.

Marketplace & Academy will be held from June 25 to 28 in Philadelphia, Penn. Click here to register!

Brain Miller to Receive ASTRA Top Honor

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logoBrian Miller of the Geppetto’s A Child’s Fantasy toy stores in San Diego, California, will be honored at Marketplace & Academy with ASTRA’s Lifetime Achievement Award.

Miller is a 25-year veteran in the toy industry and owns nine Geppetto’s locations. He started his toy career about the same time ASTRA was founded, and served as a board member and volunteer leader during the beginning of ASTRA. He also helped shape many ASTRA programs still in place today.

Miller will receive the award from ASTRA during its annual Awards Breakfast and Business meeting from 8 to 9:30 a.m. on June 26 at the Pennsylvania Convention Center in Philadelphia.


ASTRA Reveals 2017 Winners of Excellence Awards

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astra_logo_smallThe American Specialty Toy Retailing Association (ASTRA) announced the 2017 winners of ASTRA’s Excellence Awards.

The winners were Co-Owners Erin Blanton and Susan Blanton of Pufferbellies Toys and Books for Children in Staunton, VA for Retailer of the Year; HABA in Skaneateles, NY for Manufacturer of the Year; Kimberly Leakas from 24/7 Sales in New York, NY for Sales Representative of the Year; and Elizabeth Royall of Toy Travelers International in High Point, NC for the Young Professional Rising Star of the Year.

ASTRA Members Elect New Representatives to Board of Directors

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ASTRAlogoMembers of the American Specialty Toy Retailing Association (ASTRA) elected three specialty toy industry leaders to its Board of Directors at ASTRA’s Marketplace & Academy today in Philadelphia. The new representatives are Chair-elect Dee Farrell of Neat-Oh International; retailer Amy Saldanha of kiddywampus; and manufacturer Kevin McGrath from The Original Toy Co.

Eric Quam of Fat Brain Toy Co. assumed the rule of Chair of the ASTRA Board of Directors, who has served as a Chair-elect for the past year.

ASTRA Manufacturers Donate Toys to Programs Serving Homeless Children in Philadelphia

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ASTRAlogoSpecialty toy manufacturers donated five truckloads of toys to nearly a dozen Bright Spaces sites in Philadelphia following the American Specialty Toy Retailing Association’s (ASTRA) Marketplace & Academy trade show and conference in June.

The products went from the Pennsylvania Convention Center, where the show took place, to the intake center and several family shelters run by the Philadelphia Office of Homeless Services for use in Bright Spaces programs located in the shelters.

Bright Spaces programs housed in Philadelphia homeless shelters lets kids play, families gather, and agency staff provide programming and services to families in need.

ASTRA to Offer Workshop on Play and Child Development

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astra_logo_smallThe American Specialty Toy Retailing Association (ASTRA) will offer a two-day, in-person, hands-on workshop in September as part of its Certified Play Expert program, a professional education initiative to help toy industry retailers, sales representatives, and manufacturers strengthen their businesses through increasing their knowledge about play and child development.

The two-day workshop will be held in Chicago on Thursday, September 14, 2017 and Friday, September 15, 2017. Participants will get research-based instruction in several core areas, including theories of child development, characteristics of major developmental stages, types of play and their benefits, advocating for play, and making sense of play. Information about the program, how to register, and deadlines for participation is available here.

ASTRA’s Neighborhood Toy Store Day Kicks Off on Nov. 11

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neighborhoodtoystoredayA record number of 270 specialty toy retailers and toy manufacturers have committed to participate in this year’s Neighborhood Toy Store Day, according to the American Specialty Toy Retailing Association (ASTRA).

The event, to be held nationwide on Saturday, Nov. 11, 2017, is designed to be a community kickoff for the holiday shopping season with in-store events, play day activities, giveaways, raffle items, and product discounts. Many stores also donate a portion of their sales to a local charity.

In addition to the materials that ASTRA provides free to its members, more than 80 manufacturers have provided Neighborhood Toy Store Day specials available to ASTRA members who request them from the manufacturers, ranging from price discounts to play date kits to special terms. ASTRA will support the effort with national mass media and social media outreach.

AIB Survey Reports Specialty Retailers Respond Quicker to Shifts in their Sectors

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A new national survey of independent retailers finds that shifts in the retail sector are playing out differently for specialty retailers than they are for chain, according to the American Specialty Retailing Association (ASTRA). Two-thirds of survey respondents report that their smaller size and greater understanding of their local markets makes them more nimble than national chains and better positioned to respond to shifts in their sector.

The survey, conducted by Advocates for Independent Business (AIB), gathered data from over 850 independent retailers in 49 states in the U.S. Their responses provided insight to they perceive the way their distinct attributes set them apart from retail chains and online retailers such as Amazon.

ASTRA Will Sponsor Programs At Toy Fair For Independent Retailers

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The American Specialty Toy Retailing Association (ASTRA) will sponsor programs at the North American International Toy Fair to help independent retailers maximize the use of their time in New York for product sourcing, learning, and networking. The programs include the Celebrate Independents reception, Share the Fair, and an Independent Thinking educational session.

The Celebrate Independents reception will take place on Saturday, Feb. 17 from 5:30 to 7:00 p.m. in Javits Convention Center Hall 1E Room 1E6. Attendees will get the low down on curated products available only to independent retailers and learn ways to promote these products utilizing the language of child development from ASTRA’s very own Certified Play Experts.

Share the Fair, a signature member event at Toy Fair, will take place Monday, Feb. 19 from 8 to 9:30 a.m. in Javits Convention Center Hall 1E Room 1E11. The event brings ASTRA retailers together to share information about products they have seen on the exhibit floor.

The Independent Thinking program 60 Innovative Marketing Ideas in 60 Minutes, presented by Patricia Norins, CEO of Marketing Lemonade, will take place Monday, Feb. 19 from 11 a.m. to noon in Javits Convention Center Level 1Hall 1E Room 1E11. This session will provide 60 proven digital and traditional marketing ideas for increasing sales in independent toy stores.

For information about ASTRA membership and other ASTRA activities at Toy Fair, visit astratoy.org. Find ASTRA at Booth 6415 on Level 3 of Javits Convention Center.


Peter Sheahan To Headline ASTRA’s Marketplace & Academy

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Peter Sheahan will headlineThe American Specialty Toy Retailing Association’s (ASTRA) 2018 Marketplace & Academy. This year’s event, themed Mighty Together: Inspired by the Power of Play, will take place from June 10 to 13 in New Orleans, Louisiana.

Sheahan will open the third day of the Marketplace exhibit hall with a timely keynote titled FL!P: Proven Strategies for Turning Challenge into Opportunity, and Change into Competitive Advantage! He will draw on his experience as CEO of global consulting firm with employees in 23 cities across 7 countries to explore best practices from multiple industries that have experienced transformative change, and unpack the key insights from those who profited from the change compared to those that became victims to it.

Sheahan’s keynote will be delivered on Wednesday, June 13 from 8:30 to 10:00 a.m. Following the keynote, ASTRA Marketplace attendees will have a third day on the exhibit floor to find new products that will differentiate their stores and to take advantage of show-only discounts.

Deeply discounted Early Bird registration rates for ASTRA’s Marketplace & Academy are available through Tuesday, February 20. Register online or at the ASTRA Booth at The North American International Toy Fair.

ASTRA Reassures Consumers that Independent Toy Stores Are an Option for Buying Toys

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Kimberly Mosley, president of the American Specialty Retailing Association (ASTRA) issued a statement in response to the news that Toys “R” Us is closing down all of its U.S. locations:

“The closing of Toys “R” Us stores nationwide is another example of the ongoing change and evolution of the $20.7 billion toy industry. One thing that remains constant is the need for children to have access to fun toys and play experiences that support healthy child development.

Parents and grandparents and other toy buyers looking for alternatives to Toys “R” Us can find top quality toys and customer service at their neighborhood independent toy store—and shop local at the same time. Many locally-owned toy stores offer the option of buying either at the store location or online. At stores that are members of the American Specialty Toy Retailing Association (ASTRA), toy buyers can count on finding carefully selected, top quality innovative and classic toys that focus on the features of the play rather than the features of the toy.

For more information about the independent, locally-owned toy store alternative or to find an ASTRA store, visit https://www.astratoy.org/shop-local/store-finder/.”

Share the Fair Program Comes to ASTRA’s Marketplace & Academy

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American Specialty Toy Retailing Association (ASTRA)‘s Share the Fair program, offered every year at Toy Fair, will make its Marketplace & Academy debut at ASTRA’s 2018 trade show and conference in New Orleans.

Share the Fair will take place during a continental breakfast on June 12, 2018 from 8 a.m. to 9:15 a.m. in Great Hall B at the New Orleans Convention Center. Products recommended at the breakfast discussion will be compiled into a master list of best products that will be available only to those who attend the Share the Fair breakfast event. This event is open only to retailers who are ASTRA members and who are registered for the full conference.

For information about ASTRA membership, visit www.astratoy.org. For information about other activities at ASTRA’s Marketplace & Academy, visit www.marketplaceandacademy.org.

ASTRA Diversifies Marketplace & Academy Education Program

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Retailers, sales representatives, and manufacturers will find new education opportunities atThe American Specialty Toy Retailing Association (ASTRA)‘s 2018 Marketplace & Academy, to be held June 10 to 13 in New Orleans. In addition to more traditional plenary and breakout education sessions, full conference attendees will have access to:

  • Lightning Learning (three to five great ideas in 15 minutes)
  • Consultation Stations (paid thirty-minute one-on-one consultations on succession planning, store merchandising, social media strategy, or lease negotiation)
  • OpenSpace Sessions (interactive, participant-driven discussions on subjects like industry trends, the aging population, in-store events, STEM and Q4 survival)
  • Certification Workshops (intensive pre-conference trainings that earn attendees the Certified Play Expert credential or a Certificate in Social Media Management)

In addition to professional education offered at Marketplace & Academy, ASTRA offers year-round on-demand and scheduled education opportunities, including certifications, webinars, and downloadable resources. For information about education activities at ASTRA’s Marketplace & Academy or to register, visit www.marketplaceandacademy.org.

Attendees to Get Five Hours of Hands-on Play at Marketplace & Academy

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Independent toy retailers, sales representatives, and manufacturers registered for the American Specialty Toy Retailing Association‘s (ASTRA) Marketplace & Academy will have more than five hours over the course of the event to play with new-to-market games and kits. In addition, they may earn the Certified Play Expert (CPE) credential during a conveniently scheduled pre-conference session, learn about play theory, master the role of play in healthy child development, and participate in a mock play class filled with sensory exploration, art, story time, and music on which they can model play activities in their stores.

Play-related activities and education options at Marketplace & Academy 2018 include:

  • Certified Play Expert (CPE) Workshop
  • Kits Session
  • Game Night
  • Play Through the Ages!
  • Theorists, Thought Leaders & Thinking Behind the Value of Play
  • The Power of Play: An Interactive Experience
  • Certified Play Experts Present: Become a Community Resource Center
  • Safe Play: Human Factors’ Impact on Toy Safety

ASTRA’s Marketplace & Academy will be held from June 10 to 13 in New Orleans, with pre-conference sessions beginning June 8.

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