December shores up ‘mom and pop’ toy shops, for now

The Big Fun Toy Store in Cleveland just celebrated its 24th year in business. And although the store has had ups and downs, owner Steve Presser says he has reason to smile this time of year. The holiday season accounts for a big chunk of the toy store’s sales.

“Depending on how the calendar treats us, five or six weeks, for most businesses like myself, it’s 25 to 35 percent of our business,” says Presser. “December has been really strong.”

Still, Presser worries about the future of mom-and-pop shops.

“In the last six to nine months, I’ve seen just a dramatic turn towards [online] shopping by customers,” Presser says. “The public has gotten very lackadaisical and it’s easy just to order at home.”