Barbie sales ‘are killing it,’ say Philly-area toy store owners

Alex Breaux tries to keep about 75 Barbie items in stock at her Medford, N.J., shop, Wonder World Toy Store and Baby Boutique.

But it’s hard to keep them on the shelves — and not just because of the recent hype around the Barbie movie.

Since Wonder World started selling the Mattel products a few years ago, the dolls, dream houses, dream boats, and other accessories have been among the most consistently popular items.

“Barbies are killing it,” she said, noting they’ve sold especially well in recent years as the dolls have become more inclusive and diverse. “Every month, I’m putting together a Barbie order.”

While Mattel reported a dip in worldwide Barbie sales for the quarter ending June 30, customer demand hasn’t changed inside a couple of the region’s independent toy stores that sell Barbie. (Many do not. Big-box chains have licensing agreements or other deals with Barbie’s parent company, Mattel, whereas smaller stores may be able to order some selection of items through their distributors.)

For Breaux, the Barbie movie has not sent a flood of South Jersey shoppers to her store.

But dependably strong Barbie sales have been one of several factors that helped Wonder World come out of the pandemic better than ever, with overall 2022 sales 20% higher than 2019, Breaux said.

Regardless of whether they sell Barbies, independent toy stores that survived the pandemic are going strong nationwide, buoyed in part by the increased push to shop local, the American Specialty Toy Retailing Association told Forbes. Many owners like Breaux had to improve — or in some cases create from scratch — online stores, and find ways to add touches, such as gift wrapping and shopping assistance, remotely.

Some new customers found these neighborhood stores during the height of the pandemic, as they searched for board games, puzzles, and other activities to do at home. Some were so-called “kidults,” consumers 12 and up whom national data indicates are now responsible for about a quarter of annual toy sales.

“When the pandemic hit, Lego, for instance, became very popular with teens and adults,” said Nerice Kendter, owned of Busy Bee Toys in Doylestown. “These are folks that remembered enjoying it as a child.”

“I think people are seeking … a connection to their past almost,” said Breaux, who said she and her fellow toy-store-owning friends have noticed an uptick in “kidults” also coming in for stuffed animals, fidget toys, or items they saw on TikTok.

Many of the customers who started patronizing toy stores in 2020 or 2021 have remained loyal, local store owners said, and transitioned from online to in-store shopping. And, yes, kids still want to play with toys despite the omnipresent allure of screen time and tech-based entertainment.

Mallory Genco, 35, of Medford, can attest.

She had her 2-year-old, Sullivan Grace, during the pandemic, and started shopping at Wonder World. Genco, who works as an administrator, said she wanted to support a local business and to entertain her daughter without a phone or tablet.

On Friday morning, little Sullivan toddled around the Main Street shop. Rocking a tie-dye shirt and short blond ponytails, she picked out a Wooly Willy magnetic wand toy and a hide-and-seek toy.

“She’s very hands on” Genco said, as Sullivan reached for the Wooly Willy before they were even outside the store.

Shopping in a store like Wonder World, “she just picks out what she wants … She can touch things,” Genco said. “It’s so much easier than scrolling online.”

When Kendter started Busy Bee 17 years ago, her business plan looked much different than it does now. Inspired by travels abroad, she wanted to sell unique items, such as wooden European toys.

At the time, educational tools were considered dry, and as a result were less in demand. She didn’t think about stocking Legos, an item now popular with shoppers of all ages.

Also not in her plan: Barbie.

But over the years, she said, customers asked for Barbie.

“She just is considered a classic toy,” Kendter said. “Any incarnation of Barbie I bring in has been selling.”

Hearing the buzz around the movie, Kendter expanded her Barbie offerings, including the doll based off the movie, an item that sold particularly quickly.

“As I keep ordering and bringing her, she’s flying off the shelves,” Kendter said. “Because of the movie, everybody wants Barbie.”