The owners of Peapods Natural Toys & Baby Care couldn't stay away from retail for long. Little more than a month after closing their beloved store, husband and wife team Dan Marshall and Millie Adelsheim are planning to open Mischief Toy Store in the same space. They own the building at 2290 Como Ave. in St. Paul, which is still on the market, offering 3,200-square-feet of retail space.
"The experience of closing (Peapods) was so intense that it wasn't really possible to make future plans at the time," Marshall says. "We took a month an a half over the summer to travel with our kids and think about our options before it became clear that Mischief was what we all wanted to create."
Mischief will offer games, art supplies, pop culture and anime gifts, outdoor adventure gear, jewelry, and kinetic toys. "Our goal is to find toys that challenge people, make them think, create, learn a new skill or get into a bit of trouble," Marshall says.
It's perfect for the couple's current stage of life with four teenage children. "Our kids have grown up," Adelsheim says. "They're not babies anymore. We wanted to reinvent our family business to reflect who we are today."
This time around, the kids are able to weigh in on products, and help set up the store. Their daughter Abigail, a student at Hamline University, will work at the store, and manage Mischief's social media.
"Millie and I are really enjoying how excited our kids are about everything we've created together. We've discovered how hard it is to find great toys for older children. We think that big kids and teens deserve better than iTunes gift cards for their birthdays."
Mischief opens Oct. 1
