Aug 15, 2007

Smaller stores benefit from big toy recalls; Many customers turn to shops to avoid mass-market brandsBy Hanah Cho and Stephanie NewtonBaltimoreSun.com

Shopping at Barstons Child’s Play in North Baltimore yesterday, Elizabeth Carhuapoma had safety on her mind as she heard news of the latest toy recall by Mattel.

“Certain brands I trust more, so it’s disappointing when Mattel and Fisher-Price drop the ball,” said Carhuapoma, 34, of Baltimore, who bought a Webkinz doll for her 6-year-old son Ethan. “So we got into more specialty stores to get higher-quality toys even though we pay more.”

While big toy retailers and discounters scrambled yesterday to pull millions of toys from stores across the country, independent shops like Child’s Play say a wave of recalls of Chinese imports is bringing in customers worried about lead paint and other hazards.

Specialty stores typically carry a wider selection of items made in Europe and devote less shelf space to mass-market brands.

“Customers are a little more conscious about where things are from and the safety of toys now,” said Vivien Weiner, who co-manages Child’s Play in the Village of Cross Keys.

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