Today we’d like to introduce you to Stephanie Hill.
Stephanie, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
Central Station Toys started as an idea and a dream for our family to work and learn together. My husband, Chris, has collected toys and collectibles for years. He would find new things to add to his collection and sell others he was ready to part with.
We moved from Dallas to the Fort Worth side of the Metroplex, in a smaller city. We fell in love with the warm feel of Cleburne and friendly people. We bought a home that we love, and it was nice to slow down from the busy pace of life we knew in the city. We loved the charm of the town and enjoy the architecture of the buildings. There was a revitalization beginning Downtown when we moved here, and it was great to see the transformation happening here.
As we drove around, we noticed a lot of the antique stores, something our town is known for. Cleburne also has a lot of great restaurants and boutiques. We didn’t see a lot for kids, though. Our family was used to visiting the zoo, museums, parks, and all of those great activities you have in a big city. We didn’t have a lot of that here, and we started talking about what we would love to have here. One of those things was a toy store.
There were a lot of ideas we toyed with, like what we would have in our store and where we would have it. We would see a building or empty storefront and imagine how we’d set it up and dream of what it would look like. It was an idea and dream for a few months, and I asked Chris, “Is this just an idea, or are we really going to do something about it?” I think we kinda left that question out there, not really sure what we wanted to do.
In the meantime, I was finding inspiration and encouragement as I met people around town. I joined a business networking group. The people I met were amazing and so inspiring! Most of them had their own businesses, and I loved learning about their businesses. I also love to meet people and talked with a lot of business owners around town. They were lovely people, and it was truly inspiring to meet all of these people in Cleburne that were doing business and loving it!
By this time, Chris and I were more seriously discussing the toy store. We’d done research and drafted together a business plan. We still had research to do, but the idea was on paper; so, it felt more real now.
I attended a business presentation for entrepreneurs. I shared our toy store idea, and it was a hit! I got a lot of great feedback from attendees about it, and I remember coming home and telling Chris that we HAD to do this.
We did more research, settled on an area of town we wanted to be in and found a place to open our store. We are in a building from the late 19th century, which makes for a nostalgic visit. The day we opened the doors to people…wow! I couldn’t believe the number of people that came in! They had such great things to say, and it was overwhelming to take in.
I could fill up a book with special, beautiful, awesome experiences we’ve had since we opened our doors for business. People come in and see vintage lunch boxes and share what lunch box they had when they were a kid. We have vintage toys, and those bring back some beautiful memories for so many people. One customer shared her memories of Raggedy Ann dolls that her mother made because the dolls we had reminded her of the way her mom sewed their faces. I love hearing these stories!
It’s awesome to have a child come in and tell you they hope your toy store is here forever! I seriously had a kid tell me that! The wonder in his eyes…I hope I never forget that look. We’ve had teens and their parents in our store that will sit and build at our Brick Yard, where they’ve built houses, ships, and rockets out of Legos. One family brought in their daughter and her friends to stuff their own animals for her birthday, and they had a grand time! A woman I was talking with was so excited to find a vintage toy her niece had been looking for right here in our store! Her niece was thrilled to get it for Christmas! We help our customers find gifts and love hearing how much their child, grandchild, or friend loved it!
It’s been an amazing beginning of our journey, and we are already finding unique and fun items to bring to our store. We already carry a lot of fun and great items, and we are expanding our games and vintage items soon. So, there’s a lot still in store, and we are so thrilled that we are able to do this!
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
Has it been a smooth road? No. Absolutely not. Having your own business teaches you to be flexible and create a back-up plan at the last-minute, sometimes. You learn that some criticism is for learning from and others, you let it go. You’ve gotta have your priorities straight, and you’ve got to be ready to say “no”, because you just can’t do everything. Being a business owner also means you ask for help, sometimes, because you really can’t do it all yourself. And be thankful! Oh, my goodness…be thankful, because your family, your friends, your associates that help you along the way, they make your life easier with their encouragement, love, prayers, or even painting the walls in your new business!
We picked out a building and just as we were going to lease it, that fell through. We had to pick another building. The renovations took longer than expected. Shipments got sent before we were able to receive them. You’ll have a plan, and it may seem that nothing- I mean NOTHING- is going the way you planned it. Take a deep breath and be flexible. It may be God or the universe telling you to try it a different way! It’ll all work out as long as you stay focused on your WHY.
While I’m at it, be sure to WRITE DOWN YOUR WHY! You HAVE to know WHY you’re doing this! It’s got to be a passion for you because when the going gets tough, your WHY will keep you motivated.
I love writing things down and making notes on what inspires me, motivates me, and the spectacular moments that your customers share with you. Don’t be afraid to ask how their experience with your business was, what you can improve on or what they’d like to see coming from your business!
Don’t be afraid to receive knowledge from the experts that do business with you. We had a guy come in that collected a specific toy. He was kind enough to share some knowledge and school us in pricing our items for collectors like him. We were grateful for him sharing that and did some more research of our own to expand that knowledge.
What should we know about Central Station Toys? What do you do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
We are a family-owned and operated toy store with a vintage vibe with new and vintage toys, games, collectibles, and play. When you come to our store, there’s a bit of nostalgia. It’s welcoming and inviting. You want to explore and see what we’ve got. You may see a few things that remind you of the best days of childhood, like the dragon kite flying above or old lunchboxes that you and your best friend had. You might be intrigued by our 3D puzzles with gears and moving parts.
We bring fun, unique and distinctive items that inspire the wonder and drive for adventure we felt as children. We want to help you find toys that build knowledge, curiosity, and fun. The collectibles we carry spark those same feelings of wonder and excitement. Sometimes, they even produce a few laughs if there’s a funny story behind a customer’s interest in a particular item. We have items that recall good memories for people, and they are happy to share a lot of those memories with us. It’s an amazing thing to help people remember the good in life as they visit our shop.
Do you have any advice for finding a mentor or networking in general? What has worked well for you?
Talk with people. I found some great encouragement in my business networking group, as there are a lot of people in those groups who have been through the ups and downs of business ownership, and most of them are more than happy to share their insights.
I also love meeting people, and Chris and I found two wonderful mentors in a couple we met while waiting for a table at a restaurant. We had no idea how much that short conversation would help and bless us! We were so excited about our business, it came up in our conversation, and they mentioned they’d just sold their business. They had so much to share, and we followed up with a dinner meeting a short time later. They were wonderful at guiding us in the right direction in starting our business. They came to our Grand Opening, and we still keep in touch.
Set up appointments with business owners you meet. Prepare questions to ask them about starting up, financing tips or pitfalls to avoid, doing business in your area or city, books they recommend, or whatever you need to know more about. Some of them will be too busy, and that’s okay. Find others that are able to meet with you and embrace the knowledge and wisdom they are willing to share. Connect with people in the industry your business is in. Contact business owners from out of state or a different city, if you need to, to find out more about your industry. Since you’re both small businesses, they will probably be willing to share certain trade knowledge.
Be thankful! Whenever you learn something that helps you in your business, thank those who have helped you learn along the way. It may be your mentors, but it may also be a small business owner you know who has always exemplified how to take care of their customers. These people have helped form the foundation and have been the inspiration that has driven you this far. Be grateful.
Contact Info:
- Address: Central Station Toys
115 E. Henderson Street
Cleburne, TX 76031 - Website: www.CentralStationToys.com
- Phone: (682) 317-1622
- Email: sales@centralstationtoys.com
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/centralstationtoys
Image Credit:
Dalyn D Photography, Stephanie Hill
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