Hopscotch Toys & Games

Hopscotch opened in 2001 and was two years old when the original owner decided to close it. Linda Hays stepped in and bought it, largely because she thought downtown McMinnville needed it. She’d grown up watching her parents run a shoe repair and leather shop in the same town, and she understood what a small business means to a place.

Her reasoning was about more than commerce. She’s talked about wanting children to have a relationship with their community through their downtown — to buy things locally and know the people who sold them. Twenty-plus years on, she’s seeing kids who grew up in the shop come back in with babies of their own.

The buying is genuinely considered, and the criteria are published. First: would a child actually want to play with this? Is it fun? Second: is it open-ended — how many ways can it be played with, and how much of the play is dictated by the child rather than the toy? Third: quality, because they want what leaves the store to stay in a child’s life as long as possible. Blocks, art supplies, Haba, Melissa & Doug, Plan, Schleich, Folkmanis, Breyer, and a long list beyond.

Then there’s the candy counter, which is where Lollipops comes in — dozens of options, and Hays keeps it partly because it maintains the relationship as kids get older.

The shop has play areas, a stool at the checkout so small people can pay for their own things, and gift wrapping that customers mention specifically. There’s a McMinnville Monopoly if you want a souvenir with the town on it.

The community work is real. They partner with Family Place, a local relief nursery for at-risk families, and run an annual toy drive with Santa supporting local firefighters.