Locals to Love: Geelong's Best Toy Store - Timeless Wooden Toys
We’re SO flipping fortunate in Geelong and the Bellarine to have some truly amazing artists, service providers, and entrepreneurs, completely obsessed with serving our community.
As a way of sharing the love, I plan to introduce you to some of the many folk I adore, as what they’re doing might just resonate with you, too.
Over the past few months I sent out a whole bunch of interview questions to some of my favourite local businesses, and am excited to share them with you!
This is the second instalment of my Locals to Love initiative - Great Western Wooden Toys.
Great Western has got to be one of our local treasures - a little known family owned and run natural wooden toy store with next to zero online presence, where the toys are made carefully in a workshop on site, the toys are timeless, and the quality is beyond compare.
My own kids have countless beloved items collected over the years from Bruce’s toy shop - the stroller, the blocks, dolls cradle, dolly bunk beds, chalk boards, and desk and chairs, just to name a few - so for obvious reasons, I had to share him with you.
I am SURE his enchanting toys will bring your babies endless joy, too.
I cannot think of a better local maker to support, nor can I imagine better gifts for welcoming your newborn home, or celebrating the milestones of your toddlers and children, than the jewels you’ll discover in Bruce’s humble Geelong based store.
Let’s see what Bruce has to say about the joys of serving the Geelong community for over 40 years.
My kiddos enjoying just some of their Great Western treasures over the years.
What’s the name of your business, who do you serve, and what’s your goal or mission statement?
Great Western Wooden Toys. Those who seek better quality and mostly locally made wooden toys. Offering an alternative to plastic and price orientated wooden toys.
What would you say is unique about your business?
We actually make a significant number of the products we sell. The workshop is located in the back of the store.
What inspired you to start your business, and what keeps you loving it?
I took it over from my father who had previously been a builder. There had also been some wooden toy heritage prior in the family.
How do you define success?
Being able to make and sell products that are still very much in demand.
Can you think of a time that a past apparent failure set you up for later success? Do you have a ‘favourite failure’?
Have previously outsourced some finishing and assembly work but consistent quality issues brought this to an end.
What do you love most about running a business?
Being somewhat in control of your own destiny.
What have you learned or realised as a business person that’s surprised you?
That many of our original designs are still as popular many years later.
In the past several years, what new belief, behaviour, or habit has most improved your life?
Trying to work towards a better work/ life balance.
Can you share something that happened in your business this past week that made you smile?
Meeting a customer who bought toys from us for their children and have returned to purchase for their grandchildren. Happens a lot.
What’s an absurd or unusual thing that you absolutely love?
A summer thunderstorm.
How do you unwind after a crazy day?
Watch something interesting on TV.
What is your favourite thing to gift?
Something from the shop that I’ve made. (Only suits a limited age range)
And a few RAPID FIRES:
Tea or Coffee?
Tea.
Chocolate or Ice Cream?
Chocolate
Dress or Jeans?
Jeans
Wine or Beer?
Either.
Book or Podcast?
Book
TV Series or Movie?
Movie.
Insta or FB?
Neither!
Bruce is as old school as his beautiful store; he has no website or social platforms.
You can find him by calling him, or visiting his store in Grovedale, which is a suburb of Greater Geelong. Here’s a link to how to find him - and be sure to tell him I said hello! x
If you’ve an idea of a local business from whom you reckon our community would like to hear, let me know! You can reach out to me here.