Soar into the Future with ASTRA

by SUE WARFIELD, President, American Specialty Toy Retailing Association (ASTRA)

Toy Fair in the winter — it’s back! While March isn’t exactly the same as February, it’s close. At ASTRA, we are excited to exhibit at Toy Fair at a time that is more in sync with our specialty store schedules.

You can find me and Special Projects and Events Manager Michael Foldeak in Booth No. 5937. At the show, we’ll meet with our members and let them know about our new member benefits, find new companies to add to our membership, and get a feel for the latest products and trends for 2025.

ASTRA members have a lot to look forward to this year, and we will share our initiatives as we meet with everyone at Toy Fair. Last year, we commissioned a consumer survey that included getting input from specialty shoppers on why they shop where they do. We are using the results to inform our efforts and focus on what is important for specialty shoppers. 

Here are just a few things you can expect from ASTRA this year: 

• Expanding our Certified Play Expert Program to get more specialty retail store personnel certified;
• Building our online educational offerings and expanding our offerings beyond our membership;
• Helping our retail members build displays and assortments that appeal to a broader audience;
• Setting sail on the Toy Boat on March 17; 
• Starting regional groups for members to meet and share ideas;
• Continuing Zoom gatherings that cover a multitude of subjects;
• Setting up “after-show” gatherings at gift shows throughout the year;
• Working with our membership to learn what they want from ASTRA;
• Building our online communication system to be more user-friendly;
• Banding together to combat any government issues that could impact our growth and success.

Toy Fair has been a tradition for many of us over the years, and we hope that with the return to a winter show in New York, the energy will be what we remember from before the COVID-19 pandemic.

With Toy Fair slated for February 2026 and 2027, ASTRA hopes to add additional events and expand its presence at those shows. So far, we are considering throwing a networking dinner party, a cocktail hour, and bringing back the “Share the Fair” breakfast. Over the next year, we will look at possible new opportunities to work with our specialty community gathered in New York.

As online sales continue to grow, we also see more people shopping in person to make connections. We can’t forget that consumers actually want to shop in person, and we will continue to work with our members to make it nearly as easy to “shop local, shop small” as it is to shop with one of the big boxes. 

Let’s go, 2025, we are ready to soar!