Spielwerk Toys

Didn’t know it was possible to have such a crush on a toy store! My kiddo loved a little wooden mushroom they had in their community space so much that I inquired about where I could purchase the little guy off the shelf. Turns out they were out-​of-​stock, so they just let my little one pocket the mushroom as a gift. So sweet! Just the sort of community-​based toy store that I want to craft my kiddos memories. We talked a lot about «generosity» on the ride home.

I’m not a parent, but as a pretty rad uncle, I spend a decent amount of time in local toy stores. With that in mind, I’ve tried on numerous occasions to like Spielwerk Toys, but on each visit, the experience just comes up short. I feel like a trip to a toy store should be fun and magical, and my shopping trips here have yet to approach that bar. To me at least, a trip to Spielwerk feels muted, sterile and cold. Not at all how I want to buy fun toys for the kiddos.
So, I like that they aren’t completely beholden to current trends or committed to only selling those brands with the largest marketing budgets. I’m all for toys that encourage active play, education and imagination. But I think in bucking these trends, they’ve overcorrected. This is the most dull toy store I’ve visited, and I’m always left struggling to find something I’d want to buy.
I hate to criticize too much, as I’m sure that there are people who strongly value this type of shop, and it’s clear that the staff care and are believers in their products. I guess that I just don’t get it.

We loved coming in here to find a gift for the little ones back home in NYC. We were impressed as soon as we walked in, the store is really well organized and everything is displayed functionally and beautifully. After picking out a few wooden produce items, we chatted with the lovely store owner. She told us this place is the fruit of a labor of love that exists to promote going back to the basics of kids using their imaginations to play and expanding their minds through simple toys rather than constantly being entertained by today’s easily accessible technology. We love this place!

This review is solely based on the fact that I’ve called numerous times on several different days and no one EVER answers their phone. I was hoping to check the availability of a product before heading there (not local) as I’ve heard that they carry the kinds of imagination-​driven toys that I am looking to purchase for my child. I will revise this review following my customer service experience if I ever decide to just make the trip over.

Honestly, this placed is expensive. That said: it’s worth it. Lots of cool toys. A neat play area that made my nieces and nephews so, so happy.
Best of all though were the employees. Incredibly friendly, incredibly nice. Kids loved them.

This is the coolest little toy store I’ve ever been in. All the classic toys. I could have gone crazy in there and I don’t even have kids. My niece and nephew will be spoiled now and I don’t mind a bit. Great stuff!

Hands down one of the coolest toy stores on the planet. Great play area, friendly staff, and a selection of toys you’re not going to find anywhere else. I’m addicted to this place!

They have a great play area and a store filled with the slightly crunchy all natural mostly wooden toys this earth Mama looks for! It’s a bit spendy, but a great place to invest in locally made toys and basics that will really last! We took home a wooden train and I think my son will be delighted to find it under the Christmas tree.

I will forever be grateful to the nearby restaurant hostess who suggested we pass the time while waiting for our table in this charming toy store. While visiting Portland I found the perfect book for my teenage artist daughter in the carefully curated book section of this store. I also found some great little wooden plane and rocket toys for my 8 year old son. The goods here are mostly aimed at a younger set, and definitely skew towards the precious. Lots of wooden toys, fairy kits, arts and crafts supplies and other sweet little goodies for the darling tykes. Some vintage nostalgia reproduction types, some European toys and lots of stuff designed to get kids outside using their bodies and/​or imaginations. Precious in the best and worst senses of the word — all of the toys were well made, well thought out and clearly designed to help nurture the finest of minds. Nothing too kooky or ironic or gross. Just truly darling toys with the very best of intentions. I totally loved it, but then I’m a middle class marketing manager with a masters degree in theater who drives a Volvo and has a labradoodle. I’m the satisfied target market.

This toy store is so awesome! I have only been here once or twice, as we don’t live in Portland, but it is really cool. There are a wide variety of learning and wooden toys, as well as options for different price ranges. There is a play area that is fun, and the staff seem nice and knowledgeable. There are some pretty cool businesses in the area too-​an added plus! Definitely recommend.

Our favorite toy store. Every trip to Portland, we come home with a new item. Lots of learning, interactive toys.

I feel like «autobahn» should be playing in here… just kidding. This is a way cool old fashion European style toy store with plenty of handmade toys and enviro friendly ones as well. The staff is way cool and very helpful. My one and only complaint is that it’s very pricey. But, there is so much cool stuff here, be sure to check out the handmade medieval times castle complete with knights, wizards, and princesses. If you have the money there are so many cool toys here and there are things you can’t find elsewhere.

I didn’t think any toy store would ever usurp my loyalty to Finnegan’s– but I am obsessed with this place.
I want everything in here.
Mostly European toys, with some high-​quality domestic and locally produced options as well. Simple, lovely toys to aid in your baby’s development.
Everything is non-​toxic, most things are wooden and hand crafted.

Spielwerk has a great selection of high-​quality European toys, which are hard to find in other places. If you have a toddler at that age where everything goes into their mouth, this place has some wonderful wooden toys painted with natural dies.

At least 1 time a week I take my 1 year old son up the street so I can get some coffee and then I let him run back in forth in the hallway to burn some energy. We always stop by Speilwerk Toys to take a look at the beautiful toys. The people who work there are always so nice. There is a great little play area in the front of the store that we love.
Shopping at Spielwork reminds me of the cute toys stores that I saw when I was visiting Amsterdamn. This is a great place to grab a gift for my pregnant friends or childrens b-​day parties.

A cute toy store in the HUB building. The toys are lovingly retro, with an emphasis on hand-​crafted wood toys and puzzles, and electronic gadgets refreshingly absent. Their shelves and displays are cluttered with toys, encouraging exploration in the small shop. Although it doesn’t feel nor look it, it is a high-​end store.
Considering the prices, it is unsurprising that much of their merchandise are imported from Europe, handmade, and/​or made of organic materials. These are high-​quality toys worth the occasional splurge. Nice place to browse and pick up something interesting.

If i could afford all of these toys my child would have them for sure. a few Christmases ago we saved up and splurged on a few items– an accordion, a few novelty items, a cardboard doll house and some puzzles. i love the play area and the staff is always friendly to me. so much eye candy but not a lot for the common mom.

I said I’d never go there again after my last experience. We went to Tasty n Sons for brunch as we occasionally do. While I was paying the bill my wife took our two little children in there. Of course she came out with a few things. Not little cheap stuff either. She said they were not very friendly.
My wife decided that we didn’t need one of the toys she bought. Went back the next day to return it. Unopened with original receipt. Wow!!! They were completely and unabashedly rude. Giving tons of attitude.
Now my wife says she also will never be going there again. Good riddance. I tried to convince her after my last experience. She had to experience it herself I guess…

Why is SpielWerk Toys so good?
Allow me to take you on this journey…
Each time my family has gone into the store we have been met with polite, helpful staff, an exciting collection of ridiculously high quality toys, and a fantastically safe & delightful play area.
Is it expensive?
YES.
This is how it works folks.
When you go into a store that takes the time to research each and every piece of inventory to ensure that you are buying non-​toxic, responsibly crafted, healthy, age appropriate toys that will stimulate a child rather than rob a child of his/​her ability to play, learn & develop you will pay a higher price.
The same is true when you decide that you’re going to go out and eat a meal that utilizes locally sourced, organic, healthy ingredients instead of hitting a drive-​through window at a McDonalds.
I’ve been coming into the store for the past couple of years and have never once been ignored.
I am a challenging customer. I am polite but I also feel that good customer service is essential. In this day and age, with an economy collapsing & so many amazing folks being unemployed and desperate for work, there is simply NO excuse for an employee to be anything other than stellar. NONE.
With this in mind, I suggest this store to people all the time without hesitation.
What makes this store unique is its size. Because of the huge play area, SpeilWerk is able to throw & host many amazing events. From puppet shows to mini photo sessions and a ‘decorate your own sugar skull’ event this past Halloween, this store is an asset to the community and for parents who are seeking fun, exciting, and mostly free or super affordable things to do!

Spend your money at Black Wagon on Mississippi or Grasshopper on Alberta instead. So very disappointed! My experience with them was hostile, cold and bizarre– especially considering this is a children’s toy store…
My dad purchased six coupons from Living Social and gave them to different family members to spend on my baby daughter. We have all been so thrilled to spend money on her, (hey– these first time parents didn’t think twice about buying her a $ 700 dollar stroller!!) and found this to be another perfect opportunity to get her «nothing but the best». We drive by here every day on our way home, and Christmas seemed like the perfect time to start becoming loyal customers. However, we all received quite a bit of resistance from the sales associates and the owner. When my mom went to use her coupon, they told her she couldn’t because she was in the same household as my dad??? They gave me the same argument when my husband and I went in, though I countered that nowhere in the rules did it state that contingency.
Since my husband and I were educated regarding the Living Social deals being less than beneficial to small businesses, we were already set on spending more than the just the $ 30 coupon to support them. The sales associate became belligerent with me that we were each using a coupon on our separate purchases, stating that we could not «take advantage» because they were a mom-​and-​pop-​shop. I reminded her that we were making purchases for almost $ 20 above the initial coupon to try to be supportive of a local small business. I explained that while I was sensitive to the fact that this arrangement with LIving Social might have ultimately been more harmful then helpful for this particular store, Spielwerks had already been paid in full for the coupons so it was unethical for them to deny us our purchase since they had already pocketed the cash.
The sales associate then grabbed our toys, rung us up and literally threw our items back on the counter! (Mind you, she never even asked for proof of the coupon or for the coupon number.) That was when a woman behind me shared that she had been told the same made-​up story, and was currently emailing Living Social to complain. I understand that they would have liked there to be different rules associated with this deal, but a poor business decision on their part should not become their customers problem too. And, making up your own set of rules as you go along is just ridiculous.
I actually took the time to call the owner to share my concerns, and I have to say that our conversation is what prompted me to write this review. I explained that I was disappointed with their unethical business practices, and was curious about how they would rectify this situation with their customers who paid for a product they were not allowed to purchase. She told me that they had made «many, many, many exceptions»…and by «exceptions» she explained they had let several families who had bought multiple coupons use most of them. (?!) Apparently my family was not amongst the special few they deemed worthy of getting what they paid for. I explained that while I was sympathetic, and had gone into this experience planning on being a repeat customer, but a risky business move on their part should in no way result in keeping money from the very customers they had intended on gaining.
Even excluding the Living Social related issues, the sales associate we encountered seemed distant, almost irritated, during our time in the store prior to our interaction. She literally did not even acknowledge any of the three other families in the store! Such an uncomfortable vibe to have at a children’s store is unprofessional as well as unnecessary. Again, I won’t think twice about spending my money at Black Wagon or Grasshopper instead– they at least seem excited to talk with you and your child, as well as help you with your purchase so your shopping experience is enjoyable. What a novel idea.