Describe your business. Did you find it, or did it find you?

We are a specialty toy store that takes pride in sourcing unique, educational, classic and exciting toys and games for all ages. We found it when a portion of our building became available and we needed to fill the space. Unsure of what kind of retail shop we wanted to establish, we went to the San Francisco Gift Show in August of 2006 with our minds wide open and fell in love with Folkmanis Puppets. Upon further discovery of the vast world of toys, we decided that this would be the perfect addition to Main Street, Placerville.

Why is your staff the best in the business?

I don’t think you’ll find a more knowledgeable or enthusiastic group of people than those at Kiddlywinks. Brenda, our store manager, adores our customers and looks forward to helping each one find the perfect gift for all different types of kids.

What life accomplishments are you most proud of?

We are parents to four children, ages five, three, and two-year-old twins.

Who is your role model in business or in life, and why?

I’ve been blessed with so many wonderful people in my life. Thankfully, these individuals have an immeasurable amount of common sense, knowledge and experience that exceeds my own. I try to be observant in all of my interactions with these individuals so that I can borrow their strengths and make them my own over time. Amber, my wife, is high on the list. My immediate family and the family that I married into have a great grasp of what it means to work hard, take chances, love immensely and treat everybody with respect.

What’s your biggest job perk?

One of the biggest perks is our access to some of the best birthday and Christmas gifts for our family and our kids’ friends. Also, having the freedom to come in late or go home early for one of my children’s events is pretty important to me. These are the kinds of memories that will last forever. I can’t think of one school event (elementary school plays, baseball and soccer games, etc.) when neither of my parents attended. They were both usually there, but there was never a time when neither was there. I want my kids to remember that as well.

And finally, customer service is…?

Treating customers with the utmost respect and giving them an inviting and fun atmosphere where customers feel comfortable asking any question.

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