Business Opportunities Weblog

December 24, 2007 by Rich Whittle | 1 Comment

New York Times:

Ron Voake has spent the last few months in a blur of wood, wagons and widgets, trying to keep up with demand for the toys he makes in his home here.

Voake, the owner of Vermont Wooden Toys, has been deluged with orders from customers leery of buying toys made in China after millions of toys manufactured there were recalled this year because they have lead paint.

“Every time there was a story about a toy recall, I got flooded with orders,” Voake said. “This year stacks up as preposterous. I’ve never had a year like this, and I hope I don’t have another one.”

Makers of wooden toys say they can barely keep up with demand and are hiring extra employees.

“A lot of people are just generally concerned with the whole lead paint issue, the recall issue, the safety issue, all of that,” said Mike Rainville, the owner of Maple Landmark Woodcraft in Middlebury, Vt. “We’re used to a Christmas rush, but not for three months and not to the level that it’s been. We’re all tired.”

Rainville said that he and his holiday staff of 45 were working 16-hour days, and that toy orders were up about 60 percent this quarter.

Voake started making toys for his wife’s classroom anyway. When the couple moved east in 1973, Voake’s wife took a teaching job, and he decided to make toys full time.

Photo by Caleb Kenna.

In Holiday, Kids, Small Biz | 1 Comment