Meet Jill From Torquay Toys
Meet Jill From Torquay Toys - the heart behind this family run business.
Jill is the proud mum of two grown-up's (Belinda and Scott) who are married with wonderful partners, and a doting grandmother to baby Lewi. She invests her heart and soul into her toy shop, with the help of her amazing husband Howard, family and team.
Many of you will have met Jill in our Surf Coast toy shop. Have you noticed she always seems to know ‘just the thing’ to appeal to your special lil’ someone? Did you know that Jill is an experienced Mothercraft nurse, early childhood educator, kindergarten assistant, and also ran Macquarie Commercial College in Geelong for 26 years with Howard?
“Aha, that explains it!”
She is a true believer in the power and creativity of young minds, and loves nothing more than welcoming families of all ages into her family's store. She loves getting to know them, what makes them tick, identifying passions, and matching products to kids’ interests, so they walk away with something that will add value to their day, and broadly, help shape their curiosity for life.
There’s Something About Jill
When asked about some of her favourite encounters with people in her store, of course her face lit up as she looked skyward and sighed, “Where do I start?” (This job literally lights her up!)
She recounted that some of her favourite times are when kids share their hopes and dreams for what they want to be ‘when they grow up’. Many of them announce that they aspire to be firemen, chefs, doctors or astronauts. There’s ballet dancers, engineers, inventors and full time unicorns! Still others tell Jill they will work with animals, master highropes courses, be a music teacher, or the greatest magician the world has ever seen. She believes them all, gives them all her full attention, and encourages them to play, learn and create throughout their lifetime.
It is precisely this heartfelt approach to our community’s youngest members that her customers love. Jill emboldens children to realise that the sky’s the limit and some occupations are yet to be invented!
"We model our wonderful mix of products on those three key ideas of play, learn and create, offering a mix of classic, nostalgic toys, all-time favourites, educational must-have’s, plus the latest in modern toys and STEM products. Over the course of almost three years, our small local business has grown and developed, filled with products we love, carefully sourced from local suppliers and overseas".
"We’d like to think of our store as a warm, inviting, fun extension of our community when customers walk through our door. Torquay Toys is filled to the brim with quality goods for children, from the tiniest newborn right through to big kids. But most of all, it’s filled with the kindness of our family, who wish to serve our community with helpful advice and old-fashioned service".
Jill has a great connection with the children that come into the store, engaging with them about their daily activities, school and whose party is on that weekend. Jill is community-minded and tries to support local education centres and community groups, such as asking for gold coin donations for the gift wrapping service.
We Are Family
Torquay Toys is a family run business. "We are proud to be an independent and locally owned store located in Torquay, Australia’s surfing capital, at the start of the Great Ocean Road".
At Torquay Toys, the doors are open daily and around the clock on the web, to present a carefully sourced collection of products for little ones; a local Surf Coast store full of treasures for children and sometimes their mums & dads too!
Their "Dream Team" just happens to be their family, plus some special people who they’d gladly adopt as ‘Randall’s’ too! Made up of 7 dedicated members, across three generations, each person wears many hats, with retail shop staff also working across merchandising, buying, photography, website and social media management, inventory control, and a special role for the youngest and most loved member, baby Lewi (who's title is "Chief Product Tester").
With a background in childhood education, naturally Jill and family place a big focus on stocking products that are educational, focused on fun, are well made and constructed using sustainable resources. Many of the products, like the extensive range of blocks and wooden toys, are made from eco-friendly materials with non-toxic paint.
The broad range of products appeal to many families and people who pop in to do their gift shopping (and enjoy the gift wrapping service too)! Many items are also suitable for childcare and early childhood education providers as well, thanks to Jill’s keen eye for quality, enriching product ranges.
Spoilt For Choice
"Our top priority is always customer service and we pride ourselves on our attentiveness and helpfulness in store. We like to believe that our efforts to assist you to find the ideal gift, or to make shopping with children an easier and more enjoyable experience, make Torquay Toys a place you want to frequent!"
Want to explore some toys to inspire your mini maestro, chef, builder, mechanic, dancer, scientist or engineer? Not sure what to choose for a particular age group? The staff at Torquay Toys can give you advice on purchasing a suitable product or gift for a child with any interest, at any age and stage.
"At Torquay Toys, our family believes in the importance of learning through play. We choose to stock products that support aspects of child development. From rhythm to number recognition, from manual dexterity to gross motor skills, we love to encourage children to play, explore and learn". Pop in and see our great collections of toys, and experience our friendly, genuine service at Shop 1a Gilbert St Torquay, or order from our website for fast shipping or click n' collect.
Q&A with Jill:
When I look around Torquay I see…
A remarkable place. We’re so fortunate to be based in Torquay which is not only a beautiful part of Australia, but a great place for young families to call home. People here value living life down the coast, and on any given day, we welcome customers who have a deep respect for the natural environment and a great sense of community.
Something most people don’t know about me is… I was first live C-Section baby to be born at Horsham Hospital
When I grow up, I want to be a...I always wanted to be a children's nurse
My three most favourite pastimes are… reading books, cooking, playing with my grandson Lewi and introducing him to new toys and activities.
My idea of complete happiness is… spending time with all my family and friends.
Thank you so much for sharing Jill, we hope you enjoy getting to know her!
Please come and say "Hello!" when you find yourself in Torquay or try shopping with us online, from wherever you call home. For all the latest product news, and lots of family fun, follow Torquay Toys on Instagram and Facebook.
Stephanie Dawson
The world is full of interesting people and we all have a story. We just need to be prepared to listen or read! Jill’s story is fantastic and I love how she showcases her love of children and her heart in the toy store.