We’re excited to announce Toad Hall of Petoskey, Michigan, as the Pick Up Sticks Retailer of the month. First of all, we are huge fans of The Wind in the Willows (isn’t everyone?). And Toad of Toad Hall, being a great lover of boats, is a guy who’s right up our lake-loving alleys. Thus, who couldn’t love a store in an historic district on Lake Michigan with a name like Toad Hall!?
To go with this post, David Carlson of Toad Hall sent in photos of his Pick Up Sticks display. This is great stuff – a Pick Up Sticks table, with a sign stating “Pick Up Some Extra Charm!” We’re pretty sure you can borrow his idea – we think it’s brilliant. 
We asked David what he thinks when he hears the name Pick Up Sticks. His reply: “Fun—both for them to decide and buy and for us to sell!” He chose our jewelry because it has such a broad appeal to a diverse demographic – all ages and all economic statuses, and he says for his customers, the fun of discovery, exploration, and combinations of the various charms is infectious. “Once one or two customers get into the process, the staff and other customers get involved as well…soon the cash register is ringing.”
Toad Hall is a gift store we’d love to visit, located in Petoskey’s Historic Gaslight District, a lively downtown situated in a resort community on Lake Michigan. It’s been in operation for over 35 years; in fact, the building it’s in once housed Saks Fifth Avenue! They carry a wide range in products, from high end crystal and porcelain to childrens toys and greeting cards, with lines including Baccarat, Herend, Moser, Swarovski, Lladro, Halcyon Days, and more.
Tips for other Pick Up Sticks retailers? David says, “Keep a broad selection on hand. We don’t have a lot of room for stock and have had limited cashflow, but Pick Up Sticks has been great. During our busy season, we could place orders for whatever had sold once or twice a week with 2nd day shipping and we could have stock constantly on hand or coming in!”
When asked whether Toad Hall had a unique story involving Pick Up Sticks jewelry, David told us about his first encounter with the line. “We came across the line at the Atlanta show. I am not a charm guy (charming? Of course!). . .we had been burnt before on charms and I was not particularly interested in bringing in more jewelry at the time. Nonetheless, I knew PUS would move. So I hesitantly and with some pessimism ordered about $400 worth. In our peak season, I ended up ordering that much or more weekly trying to keep up with sales.”
Find Toad Hall at 215 Howard St., Petoskey, MI 49770 231-347-5322. Or follow them on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/search.php?q=toad+hall+of+petoskey&init=spell&tas=0.9907740949681407&ref=ts#!/pages/Toad-Hall/292685746406.
Drop by and say hello for us. And congratulate them on becoming the Pick Up Sticks Retailer of the Month!
Pick Up Sticks Jewelry Company 