A Children's Music Store's Fast Start

To paraphrase Bob Dylan, sometimes growing up means growing younger, and that's just what happened to independent record store owner Bryan Townsend, founder of Atlanta's The Pokey Pup (www.thepokeypup.com), a recently launched e-tailer of children's music, DVDs and books.

After starting out with a traditional independent record store that later morphed into an online-only store, Townsend found himself pondering a spin-off into kid's music upon the birth of his first child. It was a decision helped by realizing just how much 'really cool' kids music was entering the market, the kind that a rapidly growing number of parents are glad they can enjoy alongside their kids. It's a market that's expanded so quickly that artists who only a year ago were putting out self-produced CDs can now be found prominently displayed at Starbucks, on children's TV shows and selling out concert halls.

"I consider it more 'family music' than kid's music," Townsend says. "It's music that the entire family can really enjoy together, and that isn't going to be grating on parents' nerves."

Regardless of what it's called, the demand is fueling a fast start for The Pokey Pup. Townsend tells Playthings that sales have doubled each month since the site's debut last September, helped by a community of bloggers and children's music fans who've spread the word that there's a place online dedicated to music from children's artists outside of the mainstream.

"There's an independent spirit to a lot of the music," Townsend says. "It's kind of bubbling up from the underground. I'm very happy that it's blossoming and getting good exposure."