As a kid, I remember how our small town had a few specialty shops.
There was the Italian Deli.
There was the VHS rental store. (before Blockbuster made the small mom and pop stores obsolete.)
There was the sporting goods store where we would buy all my soccer equipment and our ice skates.
And there was this shoe store. It had sneakers and fancy shoes. Sometimes, it had fun accessories, and around the time when it was Back to School, they also had some random school supplies too.
We would go to this mom and pop shoe store when we needed new sneakers or dressy shoes for parties or other more formal occasions. As time passed, and the bigger malls replaced the mom and pop stores that we would go to, we eventually started buying what we needed in the mall at the bigger department stores.
The reason why I share this little tidbit of my childhood is because I remember these visits fondly. It was different back then, we probably only had a few pairs of different shoes that fit the needs of whatever the day would bring. We had school shoes, we had play shoes, we had dressy shoes, and we had sneakers. I vividly remember crying for this one pair of shoes that I thought was the coolest pair of shoes ever because it left an imprint on the soil that was the shape of a foot with what could have been my own five toes as I would walk through the woods near my house. They weren’t pretty shoes as I recall them. I wonder if they were even from the boy section because at that time, I was very much a tomboy. I knew that those shoes felt good. They allowed me to run and play, AND they left a cool imprint of the sole on the ground letting me know where my feet had been just seconds before.
When I shop for my kids shoes now, it’s different. Fortunately, we live in a day and age where there is a science behind the shoes that are made by conscientious brands which not only cradle Gelli’s feet, but allow her feet to grow with her, while enabling play.
And guess what?
These shoes are pretty too.
The Playground Store sort of follows along that same concept that I grew up with many years ago. If you have little ones, and you want to have a wide selection of shoes that are fashionable, (and good for their toesies) then you know, you can visit this concept store and find whatever you need for whichever occasion that will arise.

L-R: Our favorite brands like Mini Melissa, Bibi Shoes, and Saltwater Sandals are all available in The Playground Store.
They take it a step further, by not only providing all the best options for your children’s growing feet, but by also taking into consideration the whole shopping experience, for both parent and kiddo. They believe that kids SHOULD in fact, be KIDS, and that the best type of learning takes place through #RealPlay.
They incorporate these principles into the right kind of store with the right kind of shoes that encourage creative and active play in children of all ages. That means that our favorite brands have all come under one roof.
We can shop for Gelli and choose amongst anatomically correct Bibi Shoes, fun Salt Water Sandals for kids, and fashionable Mini Melissas. And believe me when I tell you, we love all three of these brands equally for what they mean to Gelli’s toesies.
Just last month, The Playground Store opened up their doors with a media launch that was not only kid friendly, but kept the mommas happy. Guests were treated to a fun afternoon of games, activities, and goodies which continued all the way through the weekend for all shoppers in Robinsons Magnolia to enjoy.
Unfortunately, we couldn’t make it to the launch proper, but we wanted to be sure to check out the store with Gelli, so she could pick out her own pair of summer shoes.
Can you tell she had a fabulous time?
The Playground Store
2F Robinson’s Magnolia
3F Trinoma
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