Knock on Wood

The "perfect" toy: one that's rooted in longevity, stability and wholesomeness. One with a sense of history, yet is relevant, bold and innovative. A toy that encourages imagination and creativity without relying on all those bells and whistles.

Oh, "wooden" it be nice!

As old as the hills (actually, the trees!), traditional wooden playthings have long been a toy store staple. Competing for shelf space with video games, fashion dolls and the latest "gotta-haves," this category of toys has definitely proven their staying power.

But, in reality, can wooden blocks go head-to-head with more modern offerings like Xbox? Wooden toy manufacturers don't even try to fight the good fight. Along with their retail partners, they have found their success in carving out a market all of their own.

Over the years, the combination of quality craftsmanship, play value and nostalgia has proven to be a winning formula for the wooden toy category. To continue to thrive in a competitive industry, savvy toy makers have taken the best of what wood has to offer and added their own innovations.

Somewhat of a newcomer to the U.S. market, Haba Corp.'s traditional line of high-quality wooden trains, block sets and infant toys has received a warm reception from retail customers and consumers alike. In order to keep things fresh, the company has incorporated new "architecturally significant" shapes, such as X's, pillars and arches, to its traditional block set. Optimistic about the potential for success in America, Lea Culliton, U.S. sales and marketing director, believes that Haba's "classic, feel-good toys will strike a chord."

Also focused on innovation is PDI with its Woodbine dress-up doll sets and a new push toward heirloom-quality wooden pull toys. "We concentrate on the quality that comes with wood products," Rick Tomasco, vice president, sales and marketing, tells PLAYTHINGS. "We feel we can have a longer run with classic wooden toys than with a fad item with lots of bells and whistles."

A big advocate of the classic style of wooden toys, Melissa & Doug has found a way to market traditional product along with some of those bells and whistles. The company takes wooden puzzles to a new level by adding sound when the pieces are placed correctly. Other innovations include magnets, Velcro and real hardware on toy trucks.

"We insist on keeping the same high-quality products; we just update them," says Rick Davis, vice president for Melissa & Doug, tells PLAYTHINGS. "We're making improvements on classic toys that have been around for hundreds of years and they have the same intrinsic value. That's why wooden toys are still around."

KidKraft puts a modern twist on its kitchen series of colorful, kid-sized appliances, including a wooden blender and smoothie set, a pop-up toaster (complete with bagels) and an entire kitchen with sink, microwave stove, refrigerator and cupboard. "With novel uses of color, innovative designs and shapes and inventive product categories, wooden toys are becoming an essential anchor to toy retailers," points out Jacqueline Lampert, KidKraft's director of marketing and licensing.

With wooden toys taking up permanent residence on toy store shelves, it is vital that manufacturers offer these retailers all they can in terms of product innovation, support and service. Knowing how important it is to get the products directly in the hands of the consumers, many manufacturers are generous when it comes to providing samples and demonstration displays to their retailers.

One of the most notable displays is RC2 Corp.'s Thomas the Tank Engine wooden train table at the Toys R Us store in New York's Times Square. The play area is so reportedly popular that once a week, a TRU employee—masked as an "engineer"—is on hand for a special Thomas Play Day.

"These displays encourage hours of open-ended play," insists Esther Shenberg, managing director, trains for RC2. "They get the kids into the brand and keep them coming back."

"The best advertisement for a wooden toy is to get it in the hands of the customer," advises Greg Zesinger, marketing director for Action Products, maker of Jay Jay the Jet Plane Wooden Adventure Sets and other wooden offerings. The company supports its retailers by supplying demo pieces, such as a huge octagonal play table and samples of its EZ Build Wooden Project Kits.

Resonance with consumers is apparent on the retail level as well. "There's nothing that sells a product better than the kids that play with the toys in the store for an hour, then have to be dragged away, kicking and screaming," laughs Dave Eckwald, owner of The Wooden Toy in Wethersfield, Conn. He describes his store as a kid's paradise, with "lots and lots of stuff" set up for them to play with. Eckwald says it's this "try and buy" approach that has been instrumental in demonstrating the quality of the wood products. "It shows that the toys really hold up," he points out. "And proves that wooden toys are really worth the expense."

Thomas the Tank Engine, Jay Jay the Jet Plane and the entire Brio wooden train line are best sellers for Eckwald. He gives these lines their own section in the back corner of the store, "just like where the grocery stores put their milk." The design is intentional, as kids will run to the rear of the store to play with their favorite toys, then have to work their way back to the front, encountering other products on the way, such as Small World Toy's Pirate Ship and dollhouses under the company's Ryan's Room brand.

At Timeless Toys in Chicago, store owner Martha Burrows praises those manufacturers that give "extraordinary customer service and bend over backwards to help small retailers." She singles out Brio as one of the many toy makers that have kept their product pricing down and offer very low minimums, so she can keep her store fully stocked with the complete line. "It's paid off for me," she tells PLAYTHINGS. "Because I can order one of every item, I can offer an even wider selection than the big guys. Now customers know they can come to my store and find almost every single item in the Brio catalog."

Beka, Inc. is another company that retailers recognize for its outstanding support. The vendor's wooden easels, blocks and puppet theaters have a notable presence in many schools and daycare centers, and will even hearken back to parents' own childhood.

According to company president Jim Kreisman, Beka's philosophy lies in developing relationships with its retail partners, giving them the confidence that they will stand behind their products. "Because we are small, we can give our retailers lots of options, which they can pass on to their customers," he tells PLAYTHINGS. "We can mix and match features, custom-order items and respond to each retailer's individual needs."

To help retailers overcome the expense and space requirements of some of the larger, more costly wood products, manufacturers like Alex are working to enhance the viability of these sales for their store owners. According to Elin Friis Kabo, director of communications, the company is reporting record-breaking sales of its wooden toys. As a result, it has created Alex Direct, a home delivery program that gives retailers the opportunity to sell high-ticket items (generally in the $50-$150 price range), which the manufacturer will ship directly to the customer. A useful in-store selling tool, each store is supplied with a counter-top display showcasing the more than 20 large wood products that can be sold without keeping any inventory.

Melissa & Doug's Davis agrees on the importance of providing retailer assistance. "We try hard to make it easy on them," he says. "No minimums, as well as [offering them] display pieces, hands-on samples, personalized service—and our guarantee."

Maple Landmark, known for its Name Trains, credits toy retailers for sharing the manufacturers' vision of keeping wooden toys alive and well. "Our retailers are special," says Mike Rainville, company owner. "They share our understanding of wooden toys and see their value from a play and educational perspective.

"Every child should have a set of wooden blocks in their toy box," he proposes, "and we need to work together to make that happen."

"Toys go on and on—if they're good," insists Cecile Scarlino, owner of Times Gone By, Dobbs Ferry, N.Y. She praises craft kits from Balitono, particularly for getting older kids—especially boys—"away from the computer and video games and into crafts" because they are impressed with the projects they can make, like birdhouses and clocks.

"People come into my store looking for better quality toys that will last and be used by many generations," Scarlino says. "And any specialty store that wants to carry quality, should carry wooden toys."

Isis Latham, owner of Abracadabra Toy Store in Peterborough, N.H., finds wooden toys do well when she is able to match up her customers' need to a specific product. "Wooden toys are an easy sell because kids are naturally drawn to them," she claims. "They let kids just relax and play. It doesn't take long to realize that's what it's all about."