Toddler's Treasure Trove

mom&pop 04

Replay Toys Boutique is a sustainability-minded neighborhood toy store in North Park, San Diego. Kim, the owner, started Replay Toys by selling and trading her children’s toys, books, and clothes at local swap meets to prevent these well-loved items from going into landfills.

Over the past 7 years, Replay Toys has now grown from a one-woman operation to a brick-and-mortar with multiple employees.

Their mission to uphold sustainability has been preserved: their shelves are made of repurposed materials, goods can be traded for store credit, and as always, most of the toys are gently used.

Replay Toys is committed not only to sustainable shopping, but sustainable community. Take it from Tara, a customer-turned-employee. Having worked at Replay Toys for the past two years, through the pandemic, Tara and her family have not only stayed afloat but have become real parts of Kim’s own family.

When you shop locally at Replay Toys instead of buying from big box stores, you support people like Kim and Tara: their livelihoods, as well as the community they foster through their shop.

This is part of an ongoing passion project of mine called mom&pop where I talked to and photograph small businesses that I discover and love. This is an older post that I am transferring onto Substack. If you liked the story be sure to subscribe so you don’t miss the next one (-: