Celebratory Events Set Throughout September
It’s only natural that a place like Whistle Stop Hobby & Toy — where customers are treated like family — would invite the community to its month-long birthday party.
In celebration of 50 years of business, the family-owned and operated store not only is rebranding its look —including introducing a new logo — but also
has a lot planned for
its patrons during September, including raffles, giveaways, discounts and special events.
It’s a way for Whistle Stop to thank customers for their generations of support.
Siblings As Well As Store Owners
From left to right, Wendy Bacon, Rick Claggett Jr. and Julie Everett.
In the beginning
Whistle Stop was the dream of Richard Claggett, a designer at General Motors, and his wife, Carol.
“He was into train collecting,” said Julie Everitt, the couple’s youngest daughter who co-owns the store with her siblings, Rick Claggett Jr. and Wendy Bacon. “It started in a garage on Jefferson. He realized the need for it, how popular of a hobby it was.”
Soon Whistle Stop moved into its first storefront on Harper, where Sahara Restaurant currently stands. Back then, the shop was exclusive to hobbies — trains, model kits and paint, Everitt said — but it took a lot of work to make their dream business a success.
“My mom ran the store,” she said. “She made the magic happen. Then Dad would get off work and relieve Mom; she’d go to Grandma’s and pick us up and feed us dinner.”
Whistle Stop relocated to its current building in the 1980s, though it was much smaller then. Dollhouses and “dabbles of girlier things” were added to the mix as well.
Photo Credit Jack Ryan
Whistle Stop co-owner Julie Everitt hands customer Isaac Russell a complimentary gift-wrapped purchase.
“My brother and sister started being more involved in the store, so we became more involved in the toy industry,” Everitt said. “My sister had young kids at home, so she knew what the needs were. … My brother has worked here since he was 15. He’s always been here.”
During the 1990s, the building underwent two expansions to become the store it is today, offering thousands of toys, games, crafts and hobbies.
“Our mom retired to babysit Wendy’s kids in the ’90s,” Everitt said. “The three of us have been owners ever since. Our parents retired and we took over, but even still now my dad comes in every day.”
Something for all
Everitt said she enjoys watching generations of families come in to shop.
“My brother orders the hobby items and my sister orders the toys,” she said. “I’m in charge of being out there with customers. That’s my favorite part, helping people buy toys. People will say, ‘I used to come here with my dad; now I bring my kids here.’ I just love to see that. Or people will bring their grandpa. I might see four generations in here. That brings us the most joy.”
No matter the age, there are offerings for everyone, from model trains to baby dolls and everything in between.
“We still carry old-school toys like Slinky and yo-yo,” Everitt said. “A lot of people still come in for that. They love the classic toys they had as a kid. We bring in trendy things people want, too, but we also keep it classic. That keeps us different from the big guys. It’s something we stand behind; we’re a community store. When people walk in, we greet them; we get to know their faces and names. We’re one-on-one helping them. You don’t get that with the big stores.”
Whistle Stop also offers free gift wrapping.
Photo Credit Grosse Pointe News
Whistle Stop has grown to include a variety of toys, games, hobbies and crafts for all ages.
Looking ahead to the school year, Everitt said Whistle Stop is a great place for parents to find educational materials.
“Grosse Pointe is starting with virtual school,” she said. “We want (parents) to know we have a lot of tools that are needed, especially elementary-age educational materials. I promise them we can make it fun. We have games and tools to teach kids without them even knowing they’re learning.”
Plus, Whistle Stop has expanded its children’s book area.
“You just can’t get the same experience anywhere else,” Everitt said. “We just love knowing that we can help make a child happy. One of the best things I have heard from a customer is that Whistle Stop is their child’s favorite place to visit.”
Still chugging at 50
On its way to celebrating 50 years, Whistle Stop faced the same challenge as many businesses when COVID-19 hit in March. The store temporarily closed this spring for two weeks, but continued to fill online orders, then added the option of curbside pickup at no charge.
“Only our family was here,” Everitt said. “My dad, my brother and sister and myself, we divided and conquered. People would email, looking for activities to keep their kids inside or educational things to help with school instruction.”
Now that the store has reopened to guests, face masks are recommended, the store is disinfected “constantly,” hand sanitizer is readily available and, because the store is so big, social distancing hasn’t been an issue.
Additionally, its new free curbside pickup option has become a permanent perk at the store.
But in planning its 50th-anniversary celebration, the Claggett family considered that some loyal customers may not feel comfortable visiting.
“It’s great if you can come and enjoy it, but if you’re not comfortable, we’re making it where everyone can enjoy it,” Everitt said.
Whistle Stop is offering several special events throughout the month, which will be highlighted on its website and social media pages, including Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and YouTube.
In-store events are planned each Saturday, including a local author visiting to discuss his book and an afternoon of demonstrations highlighting various games.
Additionally, “We’ll raffle baskets from the companies we deal with,” Everitt said. “The raffle will be online; that way, people won’t have to be in the store. We’ll have raffles all the way up to our big sale.”
An anniversary sale is planned Sept. 24 to 26, featuring 20 percent off all regularly priced items.
Saturday, Sept. 26, is the big sale, Everitt said, when the first 100 customers will receive goodie bags.
“The day of the big sale, we’ll have all kinds of hands-on things to do, demonstrations,” she added. “We want to say thank-you to our customers who’ve supported us all these years. They’re our main focus. Without them, we would not be here.
“I want to thank our customers from the bottom of my heart for supporting us and keeping us as their No. 1 place to go for toys and hobbies,” she continued.
“There are so many regulars that come in. They always support us and stand behind us when the going gets tough. … They do it to keep us going. I’m so grateful for all the communities around us that supported us.”
Whistle Stop Hobby & Toy is located at 21714 Harper, St. Clair Shores. For information, call (586) 771-6770, email info@whistle-stop.com or visit whistle-stop.com
The Family Legacy
The siblings have run Whistle Stop since their parents retired in the 1990s.
By: Jody McVeigh