New Resident-Owned Toy Store 'Unwraps' Wednesday In Palos Park

PALOS PARK, IL — With the 2017 bankruptcy and subsequent closing of all Toys 'R' Us stores across the United States, as well as the earlier closing of KB Toys more than a decade ago, toy stores have become increasingly rare. But one Palos Park family is hoping to turn that around for the children of the Palos area. "We researched many locations and decided we wanted to bring this fun, new store to the village where we live and love," says Stephanie Greco, life-long Palos Park resident and co-owner of Emmerson Toys, Gifts & Hobbies, in an interview with Patch. "We want our store to be a place where families, kids and everyone in between feel welcome to come, play and have fun!"

After being involved in online sales for the past few years, she and her husband decided it was time to expand with a brick and mortar store. The soft opening is set for 10:00 am on Wednesday. The family has three daughters, all currently attending Palos District 118 schools. The store is named after the family's oldest daughter, Emmerson. Greco said that each of their children will have a special part of the store, and that the younger two love to put together box opening videos for the store's Facebook page.

"It was unfortunate that Toys R Us closed, and it really left a huge gap in the market. Our store will specialize in unique toys, games, crafts, collectibles and hobbies for kids of all ages and the young at heart! We will offer excellent customer service, free gift wrapping and a variety of special events in the future," Greco told us. They believe that their staff's expert-level knowledge of their products and ability to provide a superior customer experience will set them apart from big box retailers like Walmart, Amazon and Target.

The store's Grand Opening Celebration is scheduled for Saturday, September 28th. That's where they will offer product demonstrations, balloons, and many games, crafts, and toys for kids to test out. Don't forget to stop by their booth at the upcoming Autumn in the Park Festival!