❗Let's close the gap: We still need your help to raise $40,000 by April 1. Donate now

Toy store stays ‘Cleveland tough’ in spite of economy

Jeremy Hobson Oct 5, 2012

Toy store stays ‘Cleveland tough’ in spite of economy

Jeremy Hobson Oct 5, 2012

The Big Fun Toy Store, in the suburb of Cleveand Heights, Ohio, is a small business that has dealt with the ups and downs of the state’s economy over the last several years.

Store owner Steve Presser says, “we’ve survived because…if you need to buy little Johnny a Christmas toy or Hanukkah toy, and you don’t have the $100 you’re normally going to spend, you come to Big Fun and spend $10 or $20.” Presser says he’s starting to see business pick up, “last month we were up 20 percent.”

Yet, Big Fun still faces its challenges, “small businesses like myself — I jokingly call myself an entrep-maneur because I feel sometimes like I’m in that — we can’t go to the banks and the banks that we’ve banked with for 20 years and get loans.”

Presser is staying tough and optimistic, something the city of Cleveland is known for, “we get knocked down, we get back up again.”

There’s a lot happening in the world.  Through it all, Marketplace is here for you. 

You rely on Marketplace to break down the world’s events and tell you how it affects you in a fact-based, approachable way. We rely on your financial support to keep making that possible. 

Your donation today powers the independent journalism that you rely on. For just $5/month, you can help sustain Marketplace so we can keep reporting on the things that matter to you.