As we know, small retailers and entrepreneurs contribute a lot to the marketplace and give shoppers another option to the regional/national chain. One very successful such retailer is Toys with Love, which operates two stores in New Jersey. There are lessons to be learned from this firm.

Consider these comments from Inc.:

“For mother-and-daughter team Gail and Stacey Rogers, running a business is literally fun and games. Their Chester-based, New Jersey toy shop, Toys with Love, has been staving off competition ranging from independent toy sellers to big-box retailers for 26 years, making them well-known throughout the Garden State. The duo is always on the lookout for fun, unusual, and educational toys, and they work long hours to ensure their whimsical store is bright, well-organized, and constantly introducing new items. One thing they do take seriously: Making it a place where people love to shop. A service-oriented approach; which includes personalizing purchases with names or other requests, even on the busiest days; makes the business special. However, the Rogers are also savvy marketers, using the resources they have at their location along with a dash of creativity and, working with partners like the UPS Store to support their efforts, employing some good, old-fashioned marketing tactics.”

Click the image to read several good business tips from Toys with Love.