Since 1977, Mrs. Tiggy Winkle’s has been offering childhood classics and the latest in-demand toys
On the shelves that crowd the three locations of Mrs. Tiggy Winkle’s, familiar items that have been the backbone of the toy industry since the Ottawa toy store opened its doors 41 years ago coexist beside the latest trends kids can’t get enough of. But whether it’s the wooden blocks and jigsaw puzzles that are throwbacks to days gone by or today’s hugely popular slime, the toys have one thing in common. They are all specially curated to meet a wide range of areas of child development and enjoyment. “The traditional toys, the thinking toys, the products that have become staples are what people think of when they think of Mrs. Tiggy Winkle’s,” says the store’s general manager and longtime employee Eira MacDonell. “We have picked up on the fads, as retailers should, but we have traditional toys people played with as kids and now want their kids to play. There’s a lot of nostalgia here.” Locally owned and operated since 1977, Mrs. Tiggy Winkle’s has three locations (on Bank Street in the Glebe, at Rideau Shopping Centre and in Westboro) that carry toys that fall into many categories. Among these are arts and crafts, educational toys, classic toys, games, music, imaginative play, outdoor and active toys, puzzles, books (for preschoolers), and science and discovery. To help shoppers sort through the array of options are Mrs. Tiggy Winkle’s employees, who, says MacDonell, have a vested interest in what they sell. “One of the things I’ve marvelled at over the years is the personalities of people who come to drop off resumes because they have an inherent love of interacting with people and of toys,” she says. “Half of my employees are parents and the other half are teens, so their childhood is so recent they remember playing with the toys they are selling. There’s this mix of maturity and youth that ensures anyone coming into the store has a warm and friendly exchange.” As friendly as they are skilled in helping shoppers, one thing the sales associates at Mrs. Tiggy’s can’t assist with is finding screenplay toys. That’s because electronics are among the items that Mrs. Tiggy Winkle’s does not carry. Also included in that list are any violent products such as toy guns. MacDonell says the choice to exclude such items from the store’s inventory has served it well. “We have actually listened to our customers on that front,” she says. “The reason why so many toys of yesterday are on our shelves is because they make learning fun and open kids up to being stimulated in a different way than they often are today. “The one sentence that I’ve heard in a few variations over the last 25 years or so is, ‘We want to play a game as a family, what can we do that doesn’t involve a screen?’ The common thread is the hope that they’ll find something that allows for family time and human interaction.” That, however, doesn’t mean that Mrs. Tiggy Winkle’s doesn’t carry today’s in-demand toys. When slime burst onto the scene just before Christmas last year and became popular with arts and science lovers or Fingerlings had all the kids going crazy, they could be found at Mrs. Tiggy Winkle’s. The same goes for other recently popular products such as Dungeons and Dragons related toys, Bob Ross and Mr. Rogers items, board games such as Code Names and L.O.L. Surprise Dolls. The store is also ahead of some trends such as one that is picking up steam and involves teaching kids how to code. “These products are puzzles that teach coding by instructing kids to program the toy to operate in a certain way,” says MacDonell. “It’s a great way to broaden children’s awareness by teaching them what forms the computer screens they are always looking at without actually looking at one.” Especially with the upcoming holiday season, MacDonell says Mrs. Tiggy Winkle’s inventory is always changing and growing. Picking the right toy, she says, comes down to knowing a child’s age range and interest. But not to worry, it’s also something at which Mrs. Tiggy Winkle’s staff members are experts. “We ask a lot of questions to take you through all the possibilities and narrow it down to the perfect toy for every child on your list,” she says. With free in-store pickup at Mrs. Tiggy Winkle’s Westboro and Bank Street locations, MacDonell says this option is just another way the store is ensuring it keeps up with the ebb and flow of the times. This year, Mrs. Tiggy Winkle’s is working with EQ Homes and holding a Toy Donation Drive to support Make A Wish Eastern Ontario. New toys can be donated at any Mrs. Tiggy Winkle’s location until Dec. 17. For more information, visit https://mrstiggywinkles.ca/