ASTRA start well-founded

A decade ago, the American Specialty Toy Retailing Association (ASTRA) was just an idea that toy retailer Chris Wass hoped would be contagious.

The owner of several Iowa-based Alphabet Soup stores, Wass set about convincing other toy store owners that banding together in an association could provide benefits running the gamut from exchange of ideas, to obtaining publicity, to setting up a proprietary credit card. From that starting point, he hoped the fledgling group would pursue goals similar to those of other trade associations—and more.

When he talked with PLAYTHINGS in 1992, Wass stressed that "specialty stores have much to learn from each other."

The first American Specialty Toy Retailing Association (ASTRA) convention was held June 5-6, 1993 in Minneapolis, Minn. Seventy-three people attended and discussed such merchandising potentials and problems as marketing to current customers, training employees, inventory control, advertising and displays.

While most of the attendees were, of course, retailers, manufacturers were represented at the first convention as well. They included Creativity for Kids, Playmobil, BRIO, Learning Curve, Briarpatch and Götz Dolls.

Following a successful convention, the new association was off and running.

As Donna Sanders, national sales and product manager for Götz Dolls wrote to PLAYTHINGS following the initial event, "It certainly became apparent that there is a growing interest in strengthening and enlarging the specialty toy industry."

Various round tables fostered the exchange of information, experience and opinion. By visiting each other's stores, retailers have continued and personalized this practice.

As ASTRA marks its ninth anniversary, membership has mushroomed to 690 members from eight members originally.

"And we continue to get new members from the Web site," says Kathleen McHugh, the association's executive director. "It's possible now for people to sign up on the Internet."

The newly revised Web site, www.astratoy.org, allows members to "converse" on-line, "like group e-mail," McHugh explains. "If a member is looking for a particular product, that information is available, along with the sharing of expertise and experience, such as 'How is your season going?' and 'What items are hot?'"

The Web site is a valuable resource for consumers, as well, McHugh adds. "Customers can find ASTRA stores by towns; previously, they had to know zip codes," she explains.

Looking back on her own affiliation with the association, outgoing ASTRA president Jo Ann Barrett says, "I think one of the greatest benefits of ASTRA has been the synergy of communication among retailers, reps and manufacturers." Barrett is the owner of two White Rabbit Toys in Ann Arbor, Mich., and one in Novi, Minn.

"The annual meetings intensify this synergy. I always leave energized and with at least one great idea that pays for my trip: a computer system, a catalog group, my priceless employee handbook, a great new item, a promotion, a different perspective on my business, my customers, my employees, myself."

Barrett cites ASTRA's accomplishments as including the public relations handbook, the newsletter, the gift-wrap program (with discounts based on group buying rates) and the credit card program. In fact, these ideas were seeded in ASTRA's founding convention.

As ASTRA looks ahead, Barrett refers to a recent "Vision 2001 meeting, where the board considered the value of forming councils—retailer, rep and manufacturer—for each to address their respective member needs."

ASTRA has grown "astra-nomically," and further growth is anticipated, but "How much do we need to grow? Or want to grow? And in what direction?" Barrett wonders. "What are the services we want to offer? How large must we be to offer them?"

The Vision meeting looked at all aspects of the organization, including its name. "Is ASTRA the best moniker?" Barrett asks rhetorically. "Many of our members are in the manufacture, distribution or sales of not just toys but a wider variety of children's products. Should we expand our concept?"

As ASTRA nears its decade anniversary, membership will be considering these and other questions.