Kenmore Merchants Undressed

Snapdoodle Toys – Kenmore’s Incredibly Wonderful Toy Store

The second you walk into Snapdoodle Toys in Kenmore, WA, you are overwhelmed with the sense that you’ve just entered a really, really, really fun place. It’s almost impossible to know where to start: cuddly stuffed animals,  childrens’ books, board games, volcanoes and microscopes, big wheels and toy planes, dolls, puzzles, marbles, rockets, toy soldiers and the list goes on and on! There’s even a huge Tyrannosaurus Rex who greets you as you enter this wonderful toy store. How cool is that?

The owners of Snapdoodle, Rob and Cherry Pickering, have created a very special enterprise out of a simple concept: a community-based store that offers more educational toys, more science, more arts and crafts, more family games, more wooden toys, and products produced here in the Northwest. The store Manager, Caryn, told me that all of the shop’s 13 employees are local parents and students who are highly committed to making Snapdoodle the best toy store in the area. Judging from the enthusiasm of the staff (and customers) they are definitely accomplishing their goal.

As you might suspect, Snapdoodle offers more than just toys. “Doodle Zone” is a special room designed for highly interactive events such as birthday parties, Girl Scout meetings, art lessons and other fun activities. The shop hosts game nights where a surprisingly large number of 20-somethings come to play. And, for us adults, there is always complimentary tea or coffee. They also offer free gift wrapping!

Children create some beautiful things in the Doodle Zone!

Caryn also told me something very interesting about their customers: There has been a resurgence of toys and games that families are enjoying together. This is due, in large part, to the tightening of the economy and a natural tendency for people to stay closer to home during tough times. Snapdoodle sells a lot of board games these days and it seems that the Pickerings’s vision of a community-based enterprise has come true.

Snapdoodle is a really fun shop to visit. I found myself gravitating over to the microscopes and human anatomy models (cool!) and I couldn’t help but fall in love with all the stuffed animals and hot wheels. I don’t know where they’re hiding the Wizard, but he cast a powerful spell on me and I didn’t want to go. (Every time a parent would tell their kids it was time to go, the response was always NO! Can’t we stay longer!) So, do yourself a big favor and visit Snapdoodle. But, beware, you won’t want to leave. Just click on the picture below to view a slide show of this great Kenmore store:

For more information about Snapdoodle, visit their website at: http://snapdoodletoys.com/index.htm

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