Woodworking European

Recalls Make Old-Fashioned Toys the Hottest New Thing

By Alison Marek & Julie L. Jones

December 2007

If you haven’t stocked up on wooden toys, you may be missing out! Spooked by the recalls from China, holiday buyers are raiding specialty stores for wooden toys, particular those made stateside. Manufacturers told TDmonthly Magazine they are struggling to meet the demand and anticipate that the fervor will continue into 2008 … and beyond.

A FAR-REACHING TREND

“The toy industry wants to make it sound like [the reaction to the recalls] is no big deal … and people are going back to buying as usual, but it’s not happening,” reported Michael Rainville, co-owner of Maple Landmark Woodcraft Co.

“Once people start to get these better-quality toys, that’s what they’ll want,” predicted Marilyn Chalais, U.S. agent for Holztiger.

UNPRECEDENTED GROWTH

Frenzied orders for wooden toys after the recalls were reported by nine of 12 wooden-toy manufacturers who spoke with TDmonthly; two others said their sales in 4Q are substantially better than last year, but aren’t certain the recalls are directly responsible.

So what constitutes a “frenzy”?

“300 percent” growth, said both Michael Whitworth, founder of Whittle Toy Company, and Founder/Designer Jason Gold of Camden Rose.

“1000-fold since two years ago,” was the response from Joe Barrett, CEO of Automoblox.

“We haven’t even opened any new accounts since October, because it’s all we can do to keep up with our current business,” continued Rainville.

Owner Ron Voake of 35-year-old Vermont Wooden Toys told TDmonthly that demand has been so high this fall there wasn’t even a chance to email customers that typically buy every year. “We have not one single toy left,” he said.

HaPe opened 250 new retail accounts in three weeks this fall and will probably double last year’s revenues, said Managing Director Maggie Qui. The Whittle Toy Company jumped from 73 affiliated stores this spring to more than 400 as of December 6, Whitworth told TDmonthly.

THE GOOD GUYS ARE WINNING

Consumers’ new focus on quality toys dovetails with their concerns about the environmental impact of industry. “Everything [we make] is grown from sustainable, locally grown hardwoods,” assured

Royce Bjornstad, owner of Mossy Creek Woodworks. “We don’t paint or varnish — just use a finish of food-grade mineral oil.”

The hardwoods in Camden Rose products aren’t just local, they’re personal: “Not only do I know who made the Toddler Zoom Car, but I can also tell you the particular tree,” insisted Gold. He added that the company never forages in polluted environments “because I have no idea what [that tree] absorbed in its life.”

A BOUNTIFUL CHRISTMAS

Retailers are profiting from consumers’ new priorities, too. “The biggest thing we’re doing is Kapla,” said Eric Masconcup, owner of Geppetto’s Toy Box in Oak Park, Ill. He has a display of 3,500 European-made wooden Kapla planks in the window, plus another 4,000 in the store for play. Masoncup also said he’s out of stock of the wooden Fagus trucks he imports from Germany.

Founder Caroline Deal of online retailer Sum-Bo-Shine hasn’t seen a sales difference, but 85 percent of her shoppers this year are new customers, and many are after Estia wooden toys, also from Germany.

DOUBLE-EDGED WOODEN SWORD

But as much as wooden toymakers have benefited from the mass-market backlash, some are feeling the whip, too.

Automoblox can’t fulfill 75 percent of its explosive holiday orders because of increased restrictions on Chinese exports. “Our toys passed every inspection, but now they have to be reinspected by [Chinese] government inspectors,” CEO Joe Barrett told TDmonthly.

Nonetheless, no one in specialty — including Barrett — is complaining right now. “Things could not be better,” summed up Whitworth.

To read more, please visit http://www.toydirectory.com/monthly/article.asp?id=2900

ToyDirectory.com® and TDmonthly™ Magazine

Contact: Alison Marek, Managing Editor

12249 Santa Monica Blvd.

Los Angeles, CA 90025

Phone: (310) 979-4330

Fax: (310) 979-4350

E-mail: alison@toydirectory.com

www.tdmonthly.com

www.toydirectory.com

About ToyDirectory.com® and TDmonthly™ Magazine

For more than 10 years, ToyDirectory.com has been connecting retailers and manufacturers within the specialty toy industry. It has been ranked by Yahoo! as the most popular business-to-business directory for the toy industry since 1998. TDmonthly Magazine, an online trade publication for the toy, hobby, gift and game industries with more than 27,800 registered retailers, is dedicated to being the most comprehensive monthly resource for the toy industry through trend reporting, reviews, trade show coverage and a 12,000+ searchable database of products in more than 100 categories.

About the Author:

About ToyDirectory.com® and TDmonthly™ Magazine
For more than 10 years, ToyDirectory.com has been connecting retailers and manufacturers within the specialty toy industry. It has been ranked by Yahoo! as the most popular business-to-business directory for the toy industry since 1998. TDmonthly Magazine, an online trade publication for the toy, hobby, gift and game industries with more than 27,800 registered retailers, is dedicated to being the most comprehensive monthly resource for the toy industry through trend reporting, reviews, trade show coverage and a 12,000+ searchable database of products in more than 100 categories.

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com – Wooden Toys Catch Fire

It’s Saturday night and you are getting glammed up for that evening meal and night out in Nottingham, but which restaurant do you choose and what style of food are you in the mood for? Well if you can’t decide and fancy something a little bit different that the usual Indian or Chinese, then why not go for a European restaurant? It is something a little different than the norm on a Saturday night and boy are you in for an explosion of flavours.

1877 restaurant in Nottingham is a fine dining experience in European cuisine, it boasts a fantastic menu and being runner up restaurant of the year in 2009 at the Nottingham restaurant of the year awards has to be one of the first places to try. It holds up to 56 in the main dining area but has a dining area upstairs for those wedding or party functions. This European restaurant in Nottingham only opened at the end of 2008 yet has already established it’s self as a front runner in great food. 1877 has a classy elegance about it yet still managing to be warm and inviting. With a menu including line caught sea bass and dovetail of beef, it is a beautiful menu, but as you can expect it is also not cheap. But if you are looking for that classy European restaurant in Nottingham then 1877 should be a top choice.

With some of the sexiest decors I have seen Vienna restaurant in Nottingham is gorgeous. High ceilings, suede seating with booths for large and small groups, decorative arches and plenty of wood, this is food for thought before even looking at the menu. This European restaurant only uses organic produce that is in season at the time so the menu can vary depending on what is available, but this all adds to the charm. With a fabulous menu that screams eat me you will love the food. So will it be rack of lamb, fillet of salmon? This is a high quality menu and you are in for a top dining experience. So whether you are popping in for a pre theatre meal or that romantic night out then Vienna in Nottingham is the European restaurant to try.

A name like Il rosso automatically makes you think Italian restaurant, but no, Il rosso in Nottingham is European, catering for those that do want the Italian cuisine to those that fancy some hearty English grub. Il Rosso is a lovely European restaurant in Nottingham, they have a passionate team that will make you feel welcome, a great menu with something for everyone and a comprehensive wine list that will tickle everyone’s taste buds. Whether you are looking for a large group booking or just popping in for a quick meal this European restaurant is able to meet your every need.

So when looking for that dining experience in Nottingham why not try a European restaurant for a change and chow down on some wonderful food.

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