Brilliant Sky Toys & Books of Louisville

I received Brilliant Sky Toys & Books products in order to facilitate my review.  No additional compensation was received and all words and opinions are my own.

Growing up we had basically two options when it came to shopping for toys: toy stores and catalogs.  I remember pouring through those catalogs every time they came in the mail, especially before the holidays.  And when we actually had the opportunity to visit a true toy store full of just toys and games, we never wanted to leave.

Now people do most of their shopping online.  I’m certainly one of them; it’s very convenient and sometimes it’s easier than braving traffic and weather to visit a store.  But as much as I love online shopping, it’s still a treat for me when I get to visit a cool brick and mortar store, especially when it’s full of toys.

Recently I had the opportunity to visit just such a store, called Brilliant Sky Toys & Books.  A few weeks earlier while driving around the plaza, looking for a parking spot, I had caught their store front out of the corner of my eye.  I had never heard of this particular store before, and was curious if it was a local store only, or if there were a chain of them.

Leigh (left) and a Staff Member

Come to find out, it’s a little bit of both.  There are currently only 15 of them in the US, and we’re fortunate that one of them is the locally-owned Brilliant Sky Toys & Books of Louisville.  The owner is Leigh and she gave me the opportunity to come into their space so she could show me around.

The first thing I noticed was how beautiful the store is.  There are gorgeous murals painted on all of the walls, including a really cute one that shows all the different ways people pronounce Louisville.

In the back of the store is a cute little seating area.  Leigh told me that’s where they hold their weekly story time called Treehouse Tales, held Wednesdays at 10:30 a.m.  The store is a bit of a drive from where we live, but I’m hoping one of these days to get Bubbles up early enough that we can drive over and participate.

The store is filled with an amazing array of specialty toys and books.  Some of our favorites – like Melissa & Doug and WOW Toys, and Sandra Boynton books – were represented, as were many brands and authors I wasn’t familiar with.

While wandering around I also found a number of new favorites.  Usborne books, Tolo Toys First Friends, and a John Deere Ant Farm are just a few of the brands and items I found myself drawn to.  So much so, actually, that the Ant Farm and a copy of the Usborne “Planes” book came home with me.

One of the other neat things about the store, and something that you can’t experience by shopping online, was all the stations set up where kids could actually play with the toys.  Not only is it a great way to help keep kids occupied while you’re shopping, but it lets you find out if those particular items are appropriate for your child.  Big thumbs up.

On the way to the register I spotted a collection of Piggy Paint nail polish.  Bubbles has been begging to paint her nails, but I’ve been a little hesitant to slather her in any old chemical from adult polish choices.  Piggy Paint is non-toxic and specifically designed for kids, so I had to pick up a bottle.  Let me just say Bubbles was beyond thrilled to be a big girl and get her nails painted “like Mama’s” when I got home.

In addition to the ant farm, book, and nail polish, I also brought Bubbles home a couple of other treats.  She has been having an amazing time playing with the dinosaurs I chose for her.  They get played with every single day, and Mama and Daddy are often recruited to take their turn at flying or stomping around.  For how inexpensive they are, they’d make a great stocking stuffer for any little dinosaur fans you know.

If you live in the greater Louisville area, or even across the bridge in Indiana, I highly recommend that you visit Leigh and her staff at the Brilliant Sky Toys & Books Louisville location on Shelbyville Road.  And if you don’t live in the area, check out the store locator to see if you have one in your area.  You will not be sorry!

Have you visited a Brilliant Sky Toys & Books store before?