Holiday’s “Hottest Toys” at Jamie Two Coats
by Rowan Beck, December 1, 2011, page 19.....The holiday season is upon us. People are stuffed from their turkeys, have braved the stores for Black Friday, and the Internet for Cyber Monday. The list of the hottest toys is out, and Charlotters will be pleased to know that they can find them locally. Shelburne shop Jamie Two Coats carries more than half the list and even the number one toy, with the number one game, Scrabble Flash, the innovative toy of the year, Sing-a-ma-jig, and the specialty toy of the year, Hexbug Nano Habitat Set.
The number of items that can be found in the nooks and crannies of the toy store reminds one of Santa’s Workshop. Nancy and Hoyt Barringer, owners and Charlotte residents, began shopping for their holiday items over the summer. They are like big kids themselves now, opening boxes and boxes of inventory. With a grin Nancy said, “I never knew there was a hot list.” For someone who didn’t know, she definitely has an eye for toys.
Inside Jamie Two Coats, customers can find everything from Zutano clothing for babies to the Millennium Falcon Star Wars Lego Kit. There is something for everyone at every age. Students at the University of Vermont have been calling for the inflatable shark that flies around one’s living room; it comes as Nemo, too. “Now we did know that one was going to be a hot toy; we ordered that last January!” Nancy laughed. Both she and Hoyt consider this to be their favorite time of year as “the magic amps up.”
Often they listen to their customers to hear what toys they think are cool. They now carry laser pegs, a lighted construction set, and Bruder toys made by a German company that makes model-sized bulldozers and the like. They also listen to their own children to discover what other children like. “They are big into dragons and drawing,” Nancy said while showing one of the new models from Schleich. While she was showing the item, in walked a little boy looking for dragons. For drawing materials they carry Lyra coloring pencils and crayons. “They’re very creamy,” according to Hoyt, who also teaches Studio Art at the University of Vermont.
Eight of the “hot” listed toys can be found within the quaint little shop, as well as many other toys. The shop carries Bananagrams, Rory’s Story Cubes, Quirkle, Perplexus maze game, Orb Factory Sticky Mosaics Jewelry Box, Hexbug Nano, Scrabble Flash and Sing-a-ma-jig. HotToys.com puts out the list, and many of the toys can be seen on morning network newscasts.
If you are not looking for any of these toys visiting Jamie Two coats is still a must. They have plenty of other fascinating toys, like the Wheely Pig or the Wheely Bug, toys that can be ridden on by smaller children ages 1 to 5. They carry Playmobil sets as well as Legos. They have remote control helicopters for inside and out. They even have a piano in the shape of a cat – parents be warned, it makes noise and has a microphone. The list is endless.
Jamie Two Coats will be extending its hours for the holiday season. Monday through Thursday they will be open 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. On Fridays, they will be open until 7 p.m., and Sundays they will be open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The Barringers refer to a quote from Picasso: “Everything you can imagine is real.” It is definitely true as customers peruse the store for the perfect gift. Customers are also gently reminded of the holiday spirit while checking out “Be good; it works like magic” hanging beneath some elves behind the counter.