It’s not a full-fledged, brick-and-mortar store (yet!), but Runrun Kids Store, a new toy shop that debuted last month in a St. Pete Pier kiosk, fills a large gap in downtown St. Petersburg’s retail scene.

Although there are some shops in downtown St. Pete that sell a small selection of new toys, such as The Canary and Plain Jane, Runrun is the only toy store in the entire city dedicated to new toys and has already proven to be a popular stop for families with young children.

“I knew I wanted to start a kids’ store,” owner Jess Garvin says, “because I couldn’t find one, and I was like, ‘Am I crazy? Is there not a market for this?’ We have one of the largest downtowns in the entire state of Florida and we have zero local toy stores here. After doing some research, I realized there is a big market for this.”

Garvin, who also owns J. Tails, a St. Pete doggie daycare company, says she’s part of a few St. Pete parenting groups where many of the members have also expressed their desire for a local toy store.

She often finds herself spending hours upon hours at Target, Walmart, and even Stellie Bellies — a locally owned kids and maternity resale boutique — searching for a particular item.

“You can’t find it — you have to go to Amazon,” Garvin says. “There are hundreds of brands on Amazon. Well, if I’m looking for this wooden toy, I would like it to be nontoxic and sustainably sourced. Who makes a good version of it, a bad version of it?” 

Garvin says she eventually found the toy she was looking for, a rainbow stacker, but it was expensive and when it arrived, she wasn’t crazy about its quality.

“I wish I could have talked to someone about it,” she says. “I wish I could have seen it in person. I wish the buying experience wasn't so difficult. You should be able to involve your kid in it and have this wonderful, beautiful experience.”

That unsatisfactory experience inspired the idea for Runrun Kids Store. Garvin has stocked the shop with items that are very touchable so kids and parents can get a sense of a product’s workmanship, durability, and other qualities before they make a purchase.

“We have scooters out — ride them!” Garvin says. “Do whatever you like. It doesn’t matter if you’re coming to buy that or a $5 item. Your kid can touch it, play with it, experience it. We also have a whole section for older kids where they can make their own felt doll.”

Another way Garvin is battling the Amazons and Walmarts of the world is by having her own online toy store. It’s also a convenient way for St. Pete locals and visitors to support a local business if they don’t have time to drive, park, and walk to the Runrun shop at the Pier.

“Everything we sell at Runrun on the Pier can also be purchased on our website,” says Garvin. “We can ship your order to your doorstep, or we offer free pick-up at the shop.”

Many of the brands carried at Runrun are smaller and lesser known but offer higher quality toys than some of the larger brands.

In the month she’s been open, some of the most popular toys have been streamers from Sarah’s Silks, beeswax crayons from eco-kids, small wooden vehicles from Jack Rabbit Creations, and magnetic play scenes from Floss and Rock.

Garvin has distant cousins in Spain and she and her husband, Tommy, lived there for a few months after their son, Kitt, was born. That experience, she says, influenced the assortment of products she stocks at Runrun Kids Store, as well as the shop’s emphasis on toys that can be touched and experienced prior to purchase.

“They have a lot more toy stores in Spain”, she says, “unique, small ones. We don’t carry specifically Spanish brands at Runrun, but we carry brands that are popular over there. Also, it’s not taboo to have your kid with you everywhere. You have this nice, relaxed family dynamic. Every town square has playgrounds. I don’t see what those cities have that we couldn’t make here.”

Garvin has a one-year lease at the Pier but says if Runrun Kids Store does well, she wants to open a permanent, brick-and-mortar shop in addition to the kiosk. If that comes to pass, she’d like to set up a semi-annual toy swap event to encourage the reuse of toys.

“We could have a whole re-sale section,” Garvin says, “because that’s the idea behind the types of toys we’re carrying. They should last a long time.”

Be sure to swing by Runrun Kids Store at the St. Pete Pier for all your kid’s holiday shopping. Their hours are 12 p.m. to 6 p.m. on Thursdays and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Fridays through Sundays.

Visit Runrun Kids Store’s website and follow them on Instagram for the latest information and updates.