Goodbye Longmont, Hello Boulder!

The sun shines brightly
On my shiny white backyard
Green will soon be here

What would our world be like without seasons? Even growing up in Florida, where winter was a mere suggestion, I was aware of seasons, of changing patterns in light, temperature, and growth. I've spent my adult life in Colorado and Alaska, where the seasons are dramatic and beautiful. They make me feel so much a part of this earth - a reminder that I am one small piece of a large system that is very connected. Now that Valentine's Day is past, although winter still holds us firmly in her grasp, I know that spring is not that far away.

Now we will start to see robins. Soon we will be able to buy strawberries that have flavor again. And one day, in the next few weeks, I'll be out walking and I'll see, in some spot that gets just a bit more warmth than others, the very first flowers popping out, diminutive species grown from bulbs, here to let us know that the cycle of life is still going on. A college roommate once told me, "Everything always changes. That's how we know we are alive." Although it's a simple statement, it's always struck me as a very profound one. There are times when we mourn change, but it is very much a defining part of our nature.

And so I am writing to let you know that, at the end of business today, February 16, 2008, PlayFair Toys will close the doors of our Twin Peaks Mall location in Longmont, Colorado, and not open them again. And yes, there is some sadness about this. We have staff there who have been with us for years who will be moving on. There are customers who have found in our store a refuge, a place to come with their children, a place filled with wonder and fun. We are glad that we were able to be there for you, in your community, and we enjoyed every one of you.

Yet this is not all sorrow, no, not at all! In fact, this is actually quite good news. Because it means that we can fully focus our attention on our strongest location, our Boulder toy store, and make it even better than ever. Because what we are, what we have always been about, is a destination business. Our Boulder store survived being the only remaining retail business on the Crossroads mall property as it was torn down and redeveloped into 29th Street. That was not a fun time for us, but it was always heartening to see how our customers found us even when construction made that difficult. In 2007, I began studying the concept of destination business, the idea that there are certain businesses where the phrase "location, location, location" is not the success driver at all, but rather the businesses themselves are so exciting, so unique, that people will seek them out. PlayFair Toys withstood that test, and it made me realize that, instead of trying to expand into multiple locations, I needed to really work on strengthening that uniqueness at our "Flagship" store.

2008 is PlayFair Toys' 26th year in business in Boulder. The Longmont location was an experiment of sorts. If you've been to Twin Peaks lately, you'll understand that this decision is a necessity for a small, locally-owned business. But the hard times at the mall represent a great opportunity for us and for you, our faithful customers. We have some amazing new plans for 2008 that we're not quite ready to announce, but that will make the store even more intriguing than ever.

Meanwhile - goodbye Twin Peaks, hello Boulder! We are more than worth the drive. And to further entice you to visit, I make this very special offer. Come into our Boulder store, and tell us that you read this blog and want to take advantage of our "Hello Boulder T-shirt deal!". This lets you purchase our unique, cannot-buy-them-anywhere-but-PlayFair, 100% heavyweight cotton t-shirts with the professor's wild and silly grin on the front, for only $8! Yes, only $8 for a cotton shirt, designed and printed right here in Boulder County. These normally sell for $16.95, still a great deal, but we are giving you this special opportunity only through March 15, 2008, as a way of thanking you for reading this and for being a part of our lives. Remember, just say that you want the "Hello Boulder T-shirt deal!". We currently have shirts available in natural fibers with red ink, deep purple with white ink (not coincidentally just perfect for Boulder High School students and families), and deep red with white ink (also not coincidentally just perfect for Fairview High School students and families).

With appreciation,

Marilyn Walker, Owner
PlayFair Toys
Boulder, Colorado