Park City’s J.W. Allen and Sons Toy Store - A Place for the Kid in All of Us!
It was my pleasure to talk to John Allen of J.W. Allen & Sons toy store in Redstone this week. I asked John what had brought him to Park City and he answered with a similar response, many of us give when asked the same question. “We came here on vacations, had friends here and loved the Park City area.” On one of those visits John and his wife Jackie saw a toy store on Main Street that was for sale and started musing about buying it and moving here. After a while it started to sound like a better and better idea and so the process of establishing a toy store in Park City began.
At the time the Allen family was living in Cold Spring Harbor, Long Island. Although moving is never easy, it was hardest for John and Jackie’s oldest son, 17 year old Liam, since he had very strong ties with his friend back East. However, Liam is a big animal lover so he was won over when his parents promised a small ranch property with lots of animals. That now includes lamas, turkeys, emus, goats, sheep, rams and I am sure a dog or two as well. Since Park City is a destination resort, all of Liam’s friends love to visit so he has maintained close ties.
Why a toy store, I asked. John laughed and said he is kind of a kid at heart. He wanted something enjoyable and fun to do with less stress than he had experience in his last career. Park City seemed to need a toy store that carried more than just the “big box” toy items.
Jackie and John like to stock eclectic retro toys, the kind parents remember from their own childhood, they also carry the ever popular “big ticket” games like pinball machines and Pac Man games. The store has a variety of high end wooden and tine toys, and an assortment of board games, not to mention the candy counter that brings up memories of a simpler time.
One of the great things about J.W. Allen & Sons is that their inventory is always changing and evolving. John doesn’t continually carry the same items. He says that if someone wants something they saw in the store and it is no longer in stock he will make every attempt to get it for them but with all the birthday parties and other occasions it is nice to have a fresh inventory for people to choose from.
“Redstone has been a great location for us with its ample parking and great restaurants”, John says. “It didn’t look like much when it was all dirt but with the growth of the Kimball Junction area the center has grown and is flourishing.”
The store is run by John, his wife Jackie and Annie Robertson, their #1 manager and sales person. They also receive extra help from not only their own children, Liam, Kent 14 and Pierce 11 but also some of their friends.
Since the 4th quarter is the season that a toy store either makes it or breaks it, John was very pleased when the holiday season exceeded their expectations! If you haven’t been to see J.W. Allen and Sons you must go. It has something for the kid in all of us!
There could be a special honor for J.W. & Sons in the near future… stay tuned! Vist www.parkcitytoystore.com for more information about J.W. Allen and Sons.
