BALTIMORE COUNTY, Md. — Running a small business isn't all fun and games - unless your business is literally about fun and games.
There are a few new shops opening in the Baltimore area that offer their own special selections of toys, games or books.
Kids, parents, and the young-at-heart should check out these unique brick-and-mortar spaces to shop for something fun.
- Totally Toys of Maryland just held its official ribbon-cutting today, in Owings Mills' Valley Village. The mom-and-pop store calls itself "the new go to spot in the Greater Baltimore Area for Toys, Games, Puzzles and More!" It offers "sustainable, inclusive, and community-minded toys" - in a nostalgic atmosphere - right on Reisterstown Road.
- Bricks & Minifigs is opening in Cockeysville It's the first Baltimore-area location of a national chain that lets customers "buy, sell, trade, and geek out over LEGO® products." It's coming to the renovated Yorktowne Plaza, at York and Cranbrook.
- It's not strictly a toys/games store, but the newEbisu Japanese-goods store in downtown Towson (at the former Urban Outfitters site) offers tons of fun, colorful and creative manga gifts, Japanese plushies, Pokemon and Sanrio goods, in-store claw machines and other games you can play to win prizes, and much more. Ebisu is a Japanese gift store that also has a store in Rockville.
- Over in Cecil County, the Rise 'N Grind Cafe on Rising Sun's Main Street announced it's bringing in some pop-ups - including one called "The Potted Page." Run by a mother-and-daughter team, it will be a bookstore "with plants, gifts and a children's book nook," according to their social media. Stay tuned to see when The Potted Page is ready to grow ... er, we mean go.
- In the Howard County area, a bookstore with a serious mission recently opened. The Novel Refuge, off of Routes 29 and 216, is a volunteer-run, charity used bookstore that supports "local refugees and asylum-seekers by selling books, games, puzzles, and other literary-related items."
WMAR has stayed busy covering ways that you can support small businesses, while enjoying your local community or exploring new ones, this holiday season.
Here's our new special edition of Shop Small With Stevie, featuring "Spectacular Maryland Main Streets."
And our event guide for the holiday season features plenty of one-of-a-kind markets and distinctive local shopping venues.
