I think there's a pretty good opportunity here for a large format combined playspace/toystore. Build out the toy area around some hands-on demo spaces, and include the normal playspace items nearby with climbing structures and coffee/alcohol for the parents. The key is: charge admission, then credit back the admission price toward the purchase of any new toy.
People are terrible calculating sunk cost, and I'm pretty sure that the pre-paid $15 admission credit makes a $29 toy look like a "steal", even if you could buy it on Amazon for $24. In fact, I'll bet most parents would be hard-pressed to leave the experience without buying something for every child.
People are terrible calculating sunk cost, and I'm pretty sure that the pre-paid $15 admission credit makes a $29 toy look like a "steal", even if you could buy it on Amazon for $24. In fact, I'll bet most parents would be hard-pressed to leave the experience without buying something for every child.