Boomerang Toys: a 23-year-old shop beloved by kids and their grownups

In downtown Manhattan sits a cozy neighborhood store packed with playthings to delight children of all ages: Boomerang Toys. From classics like building blocks and games to must-have toys of the moment (think superhero action figures), owner Karen Barwick hand-picks every item.

“I look for the value each toy can bring to a child,” said Barwick. “Does it spur imagination? Does it help develop motor skills? Is there an element of strategy? Everything is carefully curated and my staff knows all the products well. When customers come in, I want them to feel that.”

This level of personal care and one-stop service — including gift wrapping and free local delivery — has made Boomerang a go-to for toy seekers in the New York metro area for 23 years.

“I love hearing kids say, ‘This is my favorite store.’ Or having a parent or an aunt or uncle come in to say a child loved the gift we recommended,” Barwick said. “It always makes me happy.”

An idea born of necessity

Barwick, a native New Yorker, first thought about opening a small business after she was laid off during the recession that followed the 9/11 attacks. She had worked in merchandising for a record company in London along with her husband, before relocating to Manhattan with their infant and four-year-old.

“In July 2002, a lightbulb went off in my head,” Barwick said. “It was the day after the birthday party of a friend’s child, and all of us parents had gone to the same big toy store for gifts. With all the talk about building back lower Manhattan, I thought, ‘Why not open a shop in my neighborhood?’ I had no retail experience, but I was determined because the area needed it. And I wanted to be near my kids.”

Tapping into personal savings to set up shop, Barwick initially sourced products based on what her older son and his friends loved (no boomerangs — the store’s name refers to the superhero moniker her son had adopted for himself, the Blue Boomerang).

The store welcomed its first customers in November 2002, just six months after Barwick hatched the idea.

Striking the right balance

Today, Barwick manages a small team of employees, many of them college students who keep her apprised of toys and games trending on social media — like a popular line of plush toys originally developed for infants and toddlers that’s become a viral sensation among teen girls.

“We try to keep a good mix of what’s hot in the mass market along with more unique, specialty items, like wooden toys from Europe,” Barwick said.

To select the bulk of her inventory, she meets regularly with manufacturers’ representatives and attends toy shows, including an annual expo in New York. When she travels to other cities, she visits children’s shops to see what they’re offering and to chat with fellow owners.

Many of Boomerang’s customers are neighborhood residents and downtown workers, although she’s seen noticeably fewer commuters since the pandemic. "Less foot traffic is a challenge for small businesses like ours that aren’t structured or staffed to compete with e-commerce sites,” she noted.

Community ties that bind

“It’s so important for customers to remember the value of small businesses,” Barwick said. “We’re the fabric of communities. We provide jobs, sponsor local school fundraisers and sports teams, show up to support all kinds of events. I love walking by the local ballfields and seeing our name on jerseys.”

Barwick keeps her Shop Small signage in Boomerang’s windows all year long to promote awareness. “As a small business owner, it really matters that American Express is always looking out for us,” she said. “It’s incredible how much they do to support independent businesses with their promotions on such a big scale. And, personally, I always feel Amex has my back.”

The most satisfying part about owning the store for more than two decades? “Watching the kids grow up,” Barwick said. “I’ve been in business long enough to see them from stroller to college. I had a local college student come in recently to buy puppets for a school production and say, ‘I don’t know if you remember me, but I used to come in all the time when I was little.’ Of course I remember! This is what gives me the most joy.”