After more than 20 years delighting children of all ages around Gloucester Road and far beyond, popular toyshop, Playfull Toys, is packing its toys away and closing up its doors for the final time on 31 December.
Located along a stretch of Gloucester Road notable for its range of independent shops, owners Kerstin and Nigel Price opened their store in the summer of 2002, specialising in children’s wooden toys, crafts, music, books and so much more, much of which is sourced from Europe.
Commenting on their decision, which took three to four years to make, on social media, the couple wished to thank all their customers for their support over the last 23 years: “It’s time to bid a fond farewell from all of us at Playfull Toyshop to all of you, our loyal customers and supporters.”
They headlined their announcement by quoting from the Sound of Music: So long, farewell, Auf Wiedersehen, adieu. Adieu, adieu, to you and you and you!
Giving their favourite motto as ‘shop like your High Street depends on it – because it really does’, they were keen to encourage shoppers to continue using all the great independent shops in the area. They added: “A massive thanks again for all our great memories created by you, our lovely customers over the last two decades or so. Twenty-three years of crazy Christmases and this is going to be our last, hopefully we’ll get to see some familiar faces before we close our doors.”
The final day of trading will be New Year’s Eve, by which time they expect the shelves to be almost empty following the Christmas period.
Customers were quick to respond to the news with both their best wishes and commiserations, reminiscing on the pleasure the shop had brought to their own families. One commented: “What a wonderful cornucopia of delights your shop has been for so many years”, with another saying: “sad to hear this news, but so grateful for the precious part you have played in our daughters’ childhoods – our home would be so much the lesser if we hadn’t had your adored shop in our lives, introducing us to so many beautiful objects and stories.”