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Press Kit

Our business is always evolving. As a result, there are a lot of outdated images and bits of information floating around online. To make everything easier we've put up-to-date info, images, media mentions, and miscellaneous branding stuff all on this page.


Company

Company Story

David and Sage moved to Alton, Illinois in November 2020 with the intention of opening a toy store. They wanted their business to be in Alton because the city had a strong identity of its own, a long history, a diverse population, and a downtown beloved by the region. They wanted to create a toy store where all customers could find something both fun and affordable.

Funky Planet Toys & Gifts opened its doors on July 23rd 2021. Thanks to the continued support of the community and local organizations, business has been booming ever since.


Owner Bio - Our Story


Photos


FAQs

Q: How did you end up in Alton?
A: We both grew up, met, and got married in Minnesota. Then we moved around the country and lived in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, and Virginia. We also lived in both Poland and Romania for a few months. We wanted to move back to the Midwest, settle down, and start a family and a business. But, Minnesota's winters are too cold for us, so we aimed south. We took a bunch of road trips to Illinois, became drawn to the St. Louis region, and fell in love with Alton. We love that Alton is so close to St. Louis, but unlike a suburb has a long history and its own downtown.

Q: Why a toy store?
A: We've both always loved toys. We've got a big collection of toys, board games, and knick-knacks that we've lugged around with us through all of our moves. Any time we visit a new region, the first thing we check is if they have an independent toy store. We wanted to open our own toy store because we felt we could bring something new to the industry. Most toy stores in the country are located in suburbs and cater to upper-middle and high income families with a focus on very young children. We wanted to create a store that anyone could enjoy and afford.
Sage had prior experience teaching in children's museums, David had experience in graphic design and buying/reselling toys online, and we both have years and years of experience working in retail. A toy store seemed like a perfect fit for us.

Q: Is a toy store still relevant in this day and age?
A: Absolutely! The big box stores are unable to carry every toy imaginable, and online retailers do not necessarily have the best prices (shipping costs a lot). Many retailers aren't willing to take a gamble on the small hidden gem toy companies out there, and there are A LOT of them. Also, when you visit a toy store like ours, you get hands-on experience with the many toys on display. You might not have seen the value in them if you had just seen a picture of them online or in a package at a big-box store. Also, it's extremely helpful to be able to ask toy store owners for recommendations, or to get to see how a game works by playing it with us.

Q: Tell us about Funky Planet/What toys do you have?
A: Funky Planet is a toy and gift store that carries fun, unique products for the young and young at heart. When you enter our store, you are sure to find things you’ve never seen before and things you remember fondly from your childhood. Our store offers creative building toys, STEM toys, arts and crafts kits, outdoor and active toys, fidgets, plushies, board games, puzzles, cute stickers and stationery, pranks, novelties, and more. We are always getting new things in and rotating our offerings. We chose Funky Planet because our store is a place to visit and experience, not just to buy something. We have tabletop games out to play, a free arcade machine, tons of toys that you can test out, and a kiddie ride. We provide a hands-on interactive experience you can share with your family and friends.


Media Mentions


Branding

  • Logo (click to enlarge) Funky Planet Logo
  • Banner (click to enlarge) Funky Planet Banner 
  • Fonts: Luckiest Guy (Google Font Library) and OPTISouvineer Bold (External Font)
  • Colors: Orange (235,145,57) and Turquoise (0,210,217)


Updated 1/9/2023