News and event information for Williams Lake, BC - as it happens.

WiseOwl Toys has expanded their lines of quality toys to include Webkins, soft stuffed toys that come with an educational, online world of their own for kids to enjoy.

Owner Sandy Fehr said that she had many requests to bring them in, and since no one else in town was carrying them, she brought them in for her customers.

“When you buy a Webkins toy, it comes with a code, you register on their website. You get to play games and trade back and forth with other kids on the site.

“You get a plush toy with a life,” she explained. “You are responsible for your new pet---you’re in charge of their education, feeding and care. You find him a job, furnish and decorate his room. It’s fun for both kids and adults.”

She said that some of the games you play with Webkins take real skills, including problem-solving, math and reading.

Webkins at WiseOwl Toys are very reasonably priced---a great birthday party gift for less than $14.

“Another new product I’m excited about is ‘Pursicles’, which are awesome locally-made bags made from recycled jeans and materials,” she said. “They have belts and frills and ‘glam’ and are extremely cute.”

Besides the quality toys, games and puzzles that bring shoppers to WiseOwl Toys from throughout the province and around the  world, the store also has strong roots in the community.

At the Hough Memorial Bed Race, WiseOwl stepped in a donated a valuable and best-selling toy to be raffled off for a prize. Jim Fraser from Hough Memorial said that the donation was greatly appreciated---they sold tickets by donation and made almost $300 on the toy.

“The Hough Memorial is an incredible cause,” Sandy said. “I told them that next year we’ll do it again, and we will pre-sell the tickets ourselves to help them out.”

Other events that have featured the community-minded generosity of WiseOwl Toys are the Family Literacy Festival and the Stampede Street Party. During spring break they had free crafts for kids every day, and they sponsor a kids’ soccer team. They support hockey teams, figure skating—almost any kid-related activity—and lend a helping hand to smaller surrounding communities like McLeese Lake and Big Lake.

One of the most unique contributions that WiseOwl Toys makes to kids in the community is through the popular Playmobile displays that come to the store. “I always put the displays on a side table for kids to play with in the store, and when the new displays come in, I donate the previous one to local Kindergartens,” she said.

Another way that WiseOwl supports schools is giving teachers and home-schoolers discounts on what they buy at the store. “A lot of teachers shop here: they have to buy a lot of supplies themselves for their classes,” Sandy continued. “This is a great place to shop for teachers who plan ahead for a special project---we will order you whatever you need.”

She said that the prices, quality and service at WiseOwl Toys is what brings people back, including repeat customers from places throughout the province and around the world. “Just because we’re in Williams Lake doesn’t mean we shouldn’t get a good deal,” she explained. “We have shoppers from 100 Mile House who tell us that our prices are the same as online prices.

“We’re in this business because we like kids and we like toys,” she continued. “We believe in shopping local and we make it worth it for our customers to shop here.”

She said that another philosophy at WiseOwl Toys is that you give to your community in return for their giving to you. “It’s a two-way street,” she concluded. “The support goes both ways.”

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