Little Wish Toys planning to open store in Jackson Ward

Shan Habbas is relocating Little Wish Toys to Jackson Ward early next year. (Courtesy Little Wish Toys)

A 2 1/2-year-old toy store is venturing into its own brick-and-mortar storefront after a stint at a mall-based vendors market.

Little Wish Toys is planning to relocate next month to 319 Brook Road from its current location in Chesterfield Towne Center. The shop sells toys that foster interest in science and engineering, as well as art supplies, puzzles and other playthings.

“We focus mostly on sensory, creativity and emotional development toys,” owner Shan Habbas said. “The primary goal is to have a toy store that’s accessible to as many people as possible.”

The toys sold at Little Wish are mostly aimed at children up to 13 years old, though Habbas said some items also appeal to adults. The company is working on rolling out toys for older children.

Little Wish is looking to introduce events such as story time sessions and craft activities in the new location.

Habbas plans to open Little Wish in mid-January in the Brook Road spot, near the intersection of Broad and Adams streets in Jackson Ward. The 500-square-foot space was formerly occupied by a salon called Elysian.

“I liked a lot of the other small businesses in that area and it felt like there was room for a more kid-friendly and kid-oriented space,” she said, explaining the move to that area.

Little Wish, which launched in May 2022, is currently operating in PopUp RVA’s vendor market inside Chesterfield Towne Center. Little Wish has been a tenant there since the market opened in August.

Habbas said the experience proved that Little Wish, which then had been doing pop-ups around town, could be viable in a dedicated location.

“This was actually kind of a big step in showing us that we could have our own retail space if we wanted to,” she said.

The Chesterfield mall location will close Dec. 31, and Little Wish will then reopen a few weeks later in Richmond. Habbas said that Little Wish would continue to operate its online store during the move.

In other retail moves, thrift store chain Uptown Cheapskate has planted its flag at a nearby storefront on Broad Street. And in the fall, another local toy company, Toy Lair, relocated from Carytown to a larger space on Broad Street near Scott’s Addition.

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