The fleetingness of childhood was on the minds of longtime friends and former corporate apparel designers Emily Treolo and Jenn Cepluch when they dreamed up Chippy’s, a new Bay View toy and gift shop built around analog creativity and budding curiosity.
Two years ago, they started envisioning the switch from corporate efficiency to a project that felt uniquely theirs. As “forever young” mothers themselves, Treolo and Cepluch longed for a neighborhood spot where kids could look back on the core memory of growing up and adults could find a curated selection of toys and games even, they can geek out about.
The store quietly opened recently, but a grand opening will be held Aug. 22, from
10 A.M.-4 P.M., as a community celebration with ice cream, crafts and more.
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“We have young children, and childhood is just this blip,” Treolo said. “We want to capture that magic of childhood, but not only for children, for families and adults alike.”
After attending countless birthday parties, they realized the phenomenon of exchanging gifts from mainstream retailers like Amazon or Target in a never-ending cycle of cheap-but-easy toys. The solution was curation through exploratory wholesale purchases of niche brands – gifts with meaning and longevity. In Cepluch’s words, “less plastic, more natural.”
This ethos translates inside Chippy’s as shelves of colorful toys, rock gumball machines, squishies, specially selected books, unique stuffed animals, art supplies, STEM finds and plenty more quirky discoveries. Very little items in the store have a screen and that’s on purpose. Treolo and Cepluch want Chippy’s to be a place where kids can use their imagination.
“Open-ended creative play and learning about the world around you is what we’re really focused on, we have a lot of pretend play, a lot of dress-up, a lot of stories.” Cepluch said. “The whole STEM table is there and a lot is nature-based.”
They’ve transferred personal childhood favorites to the store – like collectors’ boxes and stationery – as well as their own kids’ nature interests, such as dissectible owl pellets and geodes. For adults, there are more “sophisticated” treasures like blind boxes, as well as the in-the-making “mom corner” that presents lifestyle finds and practical items.
More than anything, the shop is a place where kids can actually be kids – they’ll play, explore and maybe find something to remember long after they’ve “outgrown” it.
“Nothing is too precious, this is their space and we don’t want it to be a place where you need to feel hesitant to dig into stuff or test things out,” said Cepluch. “This is made for children, so come in, feel at home and get your fingerprints on things.”
The hands-on philosophy manifests in a long wooden table, placed as a space for kids to hang out, and for future plans of arts and crafts sessions and dedicated story times. They’ve already dedicated a wall in the store to show off children’s art as a makeshift gallery.
“We are getting back to the basics of building community and slowing down,” Treolo remarked. “It gives me goosebumps to think of all the special things kids can feel proud of and create memories with, the ideas keep rolling in and it seems like everyone comes in here with an idea to share.”
Among the thriving arts scene of Bay View, they’ve found a cozy home among bookstores, cafes and the neighboring Avalon Theater.
“The community here is filled with people who want unique, fun products; they’re the kind of people who will support a venture like this,” Cepluch said. “It’s chock-full of children and schools, and there are so many opportunities for young families in the neighborhood to grow and explore.”
Despite little promotion beyond an Instagram post, they’ve already sold out of multiple products, have had returning customers and experienced heartwarming moments of kids feeling proud to pay with their piggy bank money.
