COAST RIVER BUSINESS JOURNAL
BUSINESS FEATURE
DECEMBER 2019 • 7
LUKE WHITTAKER
Purple Cow Toys sales associate Carrie Ank spoke about the classic, retro and and award-winning toys that distinguishes their inventory from big box stores. “We have toy lines you can’t buy at big
box stores,” she said.
and small gifts, largely due to an emphasis
on quality products with a personal touch.
“We try to offer a more personal ser-
vice and higher-quality product,” said
owner and designer Diane Berry.
Berry utilizes local delivery and unique
add-ons and arrangements unmatched by
big box store floral departments.
As a result, Walmart’s more recent
arrival has had little impact, Berry said.
“Costco definitely does with their
wholesale flowers. Fred Meyer and Safe-
way a little bit, too. The big box stores
other than Walmart have definitely cut
into business. But for our floral and gift
boutique business, we don’t feel Walmart
has been any competition at all, because
we have two different sets of customers.”
Valentine’s Day is the busiest sea-
son, bringing a two-day surge in business
each February. Mother’s Day is the sec-
ond busiest.
“Christmas is probably third, because
it goes for about two weeks,” Berry said.
Award-winning fun
Purple Cow Toys
Carrie Ank, sales associate
1380 Commercial St., Astoria
503-325-2996
ASTORIA — Curating store shelves
with rare, classic and award-winning
inventory has become source of pride for
another Astoria business.
“We have entire (toy) lines you can’t
buy at the big box stores,” said Purple
Cow Toys sales associate Carrie Ank.
The store carries an extensive array of
classic to contemporary toys from Brio
Trains to Mad Mattr.
“Mad Mattr is extremely cool and
sells a lot,” Ank said regarding the soft
modeling dough akin to a Play-Doh 2.0.
“It’s like Magic Sand but it’s non-
toxic, gluten free, casein free and doesn’t
stick in fabric,” Ank said.
Several toys on the shelves are award
winners, including a lightweight, inflat-
able ball engineered from kite material
for indoor use called the Ollyball.
“It’s used for playing ball in the
house,” Ank said.
“We have a lot of stuff designed to be
played during those months of sideways
rain.”
Classic retro toys from the 1940s, 50s,