Monrovia Old Town Report 3/22/18

Image used for illustration only. – Mike Mozart (CC BY 2.0)

By Pam Fitzpatrick

It’s hard not to feel a bit nostalgic when you hear of one more large chain store biting the dust – even if you’re a small retailer who has done their share of complaining about the big guys. But the reality is, the loss of these competitors changes the entire retail environment.  Take Toys R Us, for instance: when there are fewer places for toy companies like Mattel and Hasbro to sell their wholesale product, it may mean that there are fewer innovative toys being developed to sell anywhere – even on Amazon. Does this mean kids-related products are reduced to electronics?  Not so fast….

The really great thing about being a small retailer in Old Town Monrovia is that we never purchased from the big-name wholesalers – not my toy store, not our gift stores nor our clothing stores. Some of us, like my store, The Dollmakers’ Kattywompus, buy from the gift market – we could rarely buy from large toy makers. Gift shops are the same, and clothing stores buy mostly from wholesalers who specialize in the smaller markets. And, that’s why you find such unique items in small shops. A retail consultant for Toys R Us was quoted as saying, “It’s hard to sell toys in a cold, warehouse environment.”

And, it’s hard to sell much of anything these days in that kind of environment. Personal contact, interactive offerings, and a relaxing atmosphere work best for anyone but Amazon.

And, yes, Old Town has personal contact … like Dream Big Children’s Center at 612 S. Myrtle. Dream Big is having a special event on Saturday, March 24^th featuring a clinical psychologist, Dr. Kim (@theparentologist) who will be speaking on “Developmental Milestones and Delays: What you need to know.” On that same Saturday, from 10:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Oh Mulberry Bush at 415 S. Myrtle, Unit B, will be hosting an old-fashioned Silhouette Portrait event featuring 3^rd generation silhouette artist, Karl Johnson (www.cutarts.com). Pay $30.00 for an original silhouette portrait, and $15.00 for a duplicate of the same portrait.

And, yes, interactive we have as well: Skateboarding (not on the sidewalks…) anyone? Stix Rideshop is introducing their Stix Skate Academy. Owner George Khoury shares, “If anybody is interested in having their kids learn to skate in a safe and fun environment, please follow the link below” …which is www.stixrideshop.com.

And, I’m not sure of any large retail chain (or any other town center, for that matter), that has its own live streaming video. That’s right, we now have Old Town Live Stream Video at special events and just everyday events…like Mondays through Fridays, when you least expect it. Stay in touch by being a FB friend of Old Town Monrovia, Ca – you never know what’s happening on the streets of Old Town!

One thing that is predictable (and personal and interactive….) is our beloved Old Town Easter Bunny who will make her photo-op appearance in Old Town on these dates: Saturday, March 24^th  and 31^st, 12-1 p.m. in the 400 block of S. Myrtle, and then Saturday, March 31^st 1-2 p.m. in Library Park. Hmmm…. how did I know the Easter Bunny is a “she”?… my secret.

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