The hunt for a jump rope with her young daughter led Aubrey Hinkson to create Orange Otter Toy Store, the CSRA’s newest shop for kids.
“My daughter is almost 4, and I realized that there was nothing like this for families, nothing like this for kids,” she said.
Located at 336 Georgia Ave., Suite 105 in North Augusta, the space offers all things kids from toys, games, books and customized gifts. The shop aims to create a personalized experience for customers, allowing parents, grandparents and loved ones to shop in a place specially designed for their young ones.
“We really just want to make it hassle free,” she said.
Hinkson said the store includes products that are unique and unlike toys one would find elsewhere. In her selection, she decided to choose brands known for their sustainability and recycled materials.
“We have a lot of wooden toys, European and American brands – Green Toys was one of the brands I definitely wanted to make sure we had,” she said.
“We have to have the jump rope,” she mentioned, speaking of the toy that started it all.
She said after a stressful shopping experience searching for the item her daughter wanted, she thought, “It would just be so nice if there was a small boutique-style store that was for kids.”
In discussing her idea with other parents, they also agreed that she was on to something. The need became more prevalent, and the idea continued to grow from there.
“We just took the leap of faith and decided to do it,” she said.
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Since the opening of the storefront late last month, locals have stopped by to visit and shop at Orange Otter Toy Store.
Sarah Sollie, a mother from North Augusta shopping with her daughter, said she enjoyed visiting the day before and decided to come again.
“It’s fun to have one around because we don’t really have one in the area,” Sollie said of the new toy store.
As for its alliterative name, Orange Otter Toy Store combines a bright and cheerful color with an animal known for its playful attitude.
“We wanted to do a cute animal that’s native to the river region,” Hinkson said. “We thought an otter would be perfect because they’re cute, and everyone loves otters.”
“Orange was just a good fit because kids love orange,” she added. “It’s just a bright, happy color.”
As Hinkson welcomed kids into the store, she said her hope is for kids to come in and make memories that they can continue to share with their children.
“I would just love for this toy store to be part of memories of the kids who grew up in the CSRA,” she said. “I just hope it’s a tradition for families that live here.”
Orange Otter Toy Store is open Wednesday – Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sunday from noon to 4 p.m. Customers interested in making orders online can visit https://orangeottertoystore.com/
