Yonder Community Toy Shop Opens in Easthampton

EASTHAMPTON — Danielle Curry’s vision of a child-centered, sensory-inspired, and creative art studio comes alive at Yonder Community Toy Shop and Rec Room, where she offers enriching toys, puzzles, and treasures to purchase and test in a drop-in play studio. The studio can be booked for celebrations, creative workshops, play therapy, homeschool groups, and more.

“At Yonder, we follow an open-ended, hands-off approach to sensory and pretend play,” said Curry, former educator and program coordinator at the Springfield Museums. “We’re creating a space where children take the lead and providing a lively, colorful destination for families and caregivers to play together.”

Curry, who brought her idea of a toy store and drop-in play studio to the Greater Easthampton Chamber of Commerce’s Co.Starters entrepreneur program in 2024, spent nine weeks honing her business model among like-minded peers. The program, brought to the city by Mayor Nicole LaChapelle and the Chamber of Commerce, takes individuals interested in starting their own businesses from idea generation to ready-to-market skills. The program is supported by local professionals, lending institutions, and program graduates.

“The Co.Starters program has been a great success in Easthampton’s rich incubator environment,” Greater Easthampton Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Jon Kostek said. “Our graduates are leaving the program equipped with the skills to make big impacts in our regional economy.”

Yonder Toy Shop Play & Party Studio, located at 186 Northampton St., Unit E, is open for drop-in play and reservations. Call (413) 203-1168 or visit www.yondertoyshop.com for more information.