Archive for January, 2009

Soooooo……. here’s how it works at CP/DT’s after Christmas.  Over the holidays our store is full to the brim with all kinds of toys,books, shoes, and clothes. If we’ve had a good holiday the store is looking a little less full. That’s a good thing!!!! It’s especially good because inventory comes next. Every single thing in the store is counted manually, yes, that’s right!!!!! Then comes Toy Fair in New York City!!!Woohoo!!!! Then we get to see allllll the new and wonderful toys in the world and choose just the most perfect ones to adorn our shelves. Sooooo if we look a tad bit low right now, just hold on. Already our outrageously awesome spring clothes are arriving and brightening up  the store and it’s soooo much fun!!!! As far as our books go… they’re NEVER LOW!!!  WE take great pride in having the best children’s and young adult books anywhere! So come on down and let us help you find  something  for the kids to help pass these long winter hours and and maybe a new suit for your next vaca.

P.S.  Schleich is in!!!!!! 

Ciao for now,

Jo Jo

Some of my favorite books ever written are intended for young adult readers.  These books manage talk about some very important truths while creating relatable stories for all ages (which is a lot more than most adult books achieve!)  My favorites always have unlikely heroes and heroines faced with challenging situations, whether in their own home or on another planet.

Here are a few of my favorites that demonstrate superior story-telling:

• The Phantom Tollbooth: Milo, a boy who never knew what to do with himself, suddenly lands in The Lands Beyond where the Old City of Wisdom is the capital.  Milo meets a watchdog who is literally a clock crossed with a dog and with his help they venture into the Mountains of Ignorance to rescue the Princesses Rhyme and Reason to bring peace to the Kingdom of Wisdom.
• A Wrinkle in Time: Meg, her brother Charles-Wallace, and their friend Calvin must rescue Meg’s father from across the far reaches of the universe with the help of three bizarre women: Mrs Who, Mrs Which and Mrs Whatsit.
• The Long Winter: Written by Laura Ingalls Wilder, this book chronicles the struggles Laura’s family and friends face when a huge snow storm wipes everything out.  It is a great story of meeting life’s challenges with ingenuity and forbearance.  Plus, it’s inspired by real events!

It was really hard to come to work today. My family was glued to the tv and I kept stalling. Then I grabbed my speakers and headed out the door. Ange and David were already at the store and Ange and I hugged and screamed and plugged in the speakers. She got us on line, David tuned in on our store radio and we watched and listened in awe. A few customers watched with us as Ange and I pulled tissues from the box,dabbing our tears arm in arm and experienced hope and pride. What a great day at Clothes Pony Dandelion Toys. We will remain broadcasting it over our pa system so come on in and enjoy it with us!!!!!

Hello!  Welcome to our Blog!  This is where we share with you all the inner goings on at Clothes Pony & Dandelion Toys!  Jo Jo is our manager and she knows everyone who comes into our store and everything about the store!  David builds bookshelves, ferris wheels, plasma cars and so much more.  Sally makes sure we are well stocked with Robeez, See Kai Run,  Schleich critters, and all the other fun things in our store.  That’s our management team.  Here’s a little bit about some of our staff members.   Kimberly loves to read and is currently working her way through our Young Adult section. Angela loves picture books and does Story Time each week.  We are graced with two retired school teachers, Nancy and Joyce, to help the many grandparents that wander into our store.  Sarah is finishing up her degree at CSU and loves to play with Angela’s kids.  Kate has worked with us through her high school years and now that she’s in college, spends her breaks working at the store.  Though Nadia’s kids have grown out of the store, she still loves to help families find toys, clothes and accessories.

Here we will share our thoughts about our favorite toys, books, clothes, and games!  So check back often for updates!