Whoever said that toy stores are just for kids doesn't understand the actual business of selling toys.

At least, that's the sentiment of store owner Michele Gietz. When she and her husband Kenneth decided to open their specialty retail venue, Where'd You Get That!? in 1991 in Willamstown, Mass., Gietz wasn't only thinking of a young audience. “Everybody likes—and needs—to play,” she surmises. “We wanted to create a space where anyone can have a good time.”

And while customers began flocking to the store known for its toys for “kids” of all ages, it was the very size of that space that inevitably became an issue. A mere 920 square feet, with additional storage, put a cramp (literally) on this retailer's ability to showcase its merchandise, while providing ample room for browsing. So when neighboring Williams College came knocking to find out if the store their students were always talking about wanted to move into one of its buildings, the answer was a no-brainer.

Even while Where'd You Get That!? was originally situated a mile from campus, the impact that Williams' student body had on the toy store's business was immediately palpable. Not only did they frequent the shop, but the students' own representation in the community became a model for Gietz which to aspire. “These kids are not only some of the most intelligent ones in the country, but they are extremely socially conscious,” she tells Playthings, noting their volunteer efforts in area classrooms and with local Big Brother/Big Sister programs. “They are best at bridging the gap between the community and the college.”

Following in her customers' footsteps, Gietz herself became involved with neighboring teachers and schools. Every August, when the Massachusetts Teachers Association comes to town, she introduces educators to a variety of board games they can use in their classrooms. Not only does she forge a relationship with these customers, but she helps boost business in the process. “The games we recommend teach everything from geography (Scramble States of America from Watertown, Mass.-based Gamewright) to social interaction (Balloon Lagoon from Cranium of Seattle),” she says. The store features a special games table, so customers can experience the fun of playing for themselves.

Games aren't the only area of Where'd You Get That!? that does well for Gietz. Clientele—whom she describes as a diverse mix of college students, faculty, alumni who retire and move back to the area and of course, the locals—also appreciate an equally diverse range of product, from humor books, to building toys from Pixelblocks of Glendora, Calif., to action figures from Westport, Conn.-based Odyssey Toys and Accoutrements of Seattle. Gietz finds that pairing product with related items makes for stimulating visual merchandising. “We'll position Hamlet finger puppets alongside historical action figures, and the college kids just love it,” she enthuses.

And clearly, they do. As a testament to Where'd You Get That!?'s popularity with the students, Gietz recently signed on as the college's official care package provider. “It's actually a pretty big deal,” she explains, noting that until now, this service had been offered via a large corporation from out of the area. After talking to Williams students and learning how disappointed they and their loved ones were by deliveries of “stale food and rotten fruit,” Gietz believed she could do better by adding a “more personal touch.” Her baskets incorporate a range of themes, yet include one common element she feels all students can appreciate: a stress toy. “We have sports packages, Dr. Seuss pop-up birthday ones that include balloons and a birthday cake that we deliver,” she describes.

She does not forego the academic aspect of the care package's recipient either, however, and may include a humorous book like Shrinklets, which condenses 50 all-time great novels down to one page of poetry. “We make sure to include an element that tickles the brain—and the funny bone—at the same time,” Gietz says.

One may wonder if Where'd You Get That!?'s business goes on holiday once the students do. Fortunately, the Williams College campus remains active during the summer with special seminar programs. The town also experiences a boom in tourism, thanks to the annual Williamstown Theater Festival, which, Gietz says, draws a tremendous following, especially with the 55+ crowd.

“This summer was a bit slower for us than usual,” she admits. “People were just not in a spending mode like they used to be.” Instead of assisting local travelers, Gietz noticed a great deal of European and Canadian visitors to her store this year.

Despite this spike in tourism, Gietz was eager to move into the store's new retail site this past September. “A plum location,” as she describes it, occupying 1,900 square feet in an on-campus college-owned building. “We're the only retailer in this space,” she professes proudly.

In moving her business forward, Gietz says focusing on interesting niches and their ability to attract other customer demographics is vital. One such example is what Gietz refers to as the store's “fluff department.” At first glance, a display rich in hues of sparkling pinks and purples—courtesy of feathery boas, satiny costumes and glittering accessories like tiaras—might be obvious favorites for little girls and tweens. But Gietz says that the dress-up aspect also appeals to some of her college-aged customers. “When I carried the [Oak Park, Ill.-based] Small Miracles line, some Williams girls came in and turned the capes into fun skirts,” she recalls.

Perhaps this ability to present product to customers who might not otherwise have considered it in the first place is the key to keeping Gietz's store fresh—and her customers always guessing. “It's all about mixing it up and opening your eyes to new forms of business,” she says of the toy retail market.

“The joke among the students about our store is to never come in looking for something specific because you'll always find more than you ever expected to.”

And of course, Gietz says, no toy specialist can survive today without embracing the personal aspect of business that the big boxes can't seem to duplicate. “Being a independent store owner today is almost like being a chef in your favorite restaurant,” she compares. “It's not just about good food; it's about the chef who comes out of the kitchen and talks to his customers. You have to add the human element to make your business work.”