From a newsagent selling toys in Marple to a thriving Toymaster store serving generations of customers, Goslings Toymaster co-owner Mandy Harrop looks back on five and a half decades of family toy retail
In the October issue of Toys n Playthings, Goslings Toymaster co-owner Mandy Harrop shared her memories of a life in toy retail, as the store this year marked its 55th anniversary.
“Our story began in 1971, when Mum and Dad bought a newsagent in the Cheshire village of Marple. They always sold toys and, in 1978, they opened Goslings Toymaster, the shop where we are today. Both my sister Julie Claber and I grew up in the family business, so we’ve always known what it’s like to work in toy retail,” she writes.
“When our parents retired in 2009, we took the business over and began looking at ways to move it forward. One of the biggest changes was starting to sell online as well as through the shop, while continuing to focus on the personal service and welcoming environment that have always been important to us.
“Our history in Marple has also gone hand in hand with our relationship with Toymaster. Dad joined the buying group in 1985, and when we took over the business, we continued that membership. We always attend the Toymaster Show, and being part of the Toymaster group is a great benefit because it gives us access to a wide range of brands and suppliers.”
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