Our Story
With a spark of inspiration and a mountain of courage, The Good Toy Group began in the spring of 1999! In the bustling halls of New York Toy Fair, 21 passionate toy store owners gathered to answer a simple question: “Could we create our very own holiday catalog that truly represents the magic of independent toy stores?”
Their enthusiastic answer—”We can do this!”—launched what would become The Good Toy Group, a revolutionary cooperative venture in the specialty toy industry.
Those early years were fueled by dedication and friendship. Our founding members hosted meetings in their homes, gathered in basement workspaces, and endlessly brainstormed on the phone: how to serve children and families (our customers) in every Member store while remaining fiercely independent. This grassroots origin captured the entrepreneurial spirit that still drives us forward today!
Founding devotion quickly blossomed. Within a few short years, The Good Toy Group established a full-time dedicated Office to recruit, unite, and support our Membership showcasing the very best toys our vendor partners have to offer.
Today, 120 Members strong with 200+ storefronts in the USA and Canada. We are recognized leaders in the specialty toy industry with Members far and wide earning local community honors for leadership, lifetime achievement awards for extraordinary service, and national recognition for their exceptional stores.Â
Even more amazing, they have endured and are beloved fixtures in their communities for generations bringing good toys and healthy play to children everywhere.
From those humble beginnings to our current network of 120+ stores across North America, our mission remains wonderfully unchanged: uniting and supporting the best independent toy stores and specialty vendors in a cooperative venture to promote good toys, healthy play, and happy lives!