After a week’s delay due to a blizzard, Papa Gepetto’s Toys and Treasures held their grand opening and ribbon cutting on Feb. 16.
Wiscasset Selectmen Judy Colby, Jeff Slack, Bill Curtis and Ed Polewarczyk, Town Manager Laurie Smith and Town Planner Misty Parker were present at the ribbon cutting to welcome the new business to town.
Owners Geoff and Julie Groleau recently moved their existing toy business from Bath to the larger space at 49 Water St. in Wiscasset.
Even though they had only been open a short time, Julie said the Wiscasset community had already shown the couple a lot of support.
“The people here are just really welcoming, I don’t know else to put it,” she said.
The move from Bath to Wiscasset was relatively quick, since the Groleaus only shut down their former location on Jan. 27, but the couple has had practice setting up shop in a hurry.
When the Groleaus opened the Bath location on Black Friday of 2008, it had only been four days since they first looked at the space, Julie said. “We looked at it on Monday, signed the lease on Tuesday, and opened on Friday,” she said.
The name Papa Geppetto’s is a tribute to Julie’s father who had hoped to open a toy store under the same name after he retired, but passed away before having the opportunity to do so, according to a news release from Parker. Julie said she knows her father would love the store, according to the release.
The Groleaus first started the business by assembling high-end dollhouse kits and selling them at craft shows. When people started asking where their store was, the couple decided to open one up.
With the difficult economy of the last few years, the demand for assembled kits dropped off, Julie said. The couple adapted and added more variety to their selection of toys, and have added still more at the new location.
In the new larger location, Papa Geppetto’s has added Erector sets, Brio trains, kimmidolls (sic), Plasma Cars, Wedgits, and an entire section of books and graphic novels to its continued offerings of Playmobil, Melissa & Doug, Calico Critters, Gotz Dolls, kites, puzzles, board games, puppets and more, according to the press release.
Shoppers at Papa Geppetto’s can get a Loyalty Loot Card, which entitles them to 10 percent off of their purchases, Geoff Groleau said.
Papa Geppetto’s Toys and Treasures is open Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. For more information, visit the store or call 882-4700.
