To call Odin Parker a toy store, as it’s usually called, is a massive understatement.

“Definitely more than a toy store,” agrees Donita Culbertson, manager at the Fashion Island retailer that recently relocated to Atrium Lawn, conveniently across from Santa’s Coastal Cottage during the holidays. “We buy from all over the world, from companies that have been handed down for generations. People walk in, their jaws drop. Everybody’s happy; you cannot stay in a bad mood here.”

The family-owned spot specializes in heirloom-quality wooden toys and other children’s goods from independent makers. The emphasis is on imaginative, developmentally beneficial items intended to be cherished. There’s also a curated collection of decorative and functional items for children’s rooms.

The origin story: When owners Atila and Blakeslee Lotfi were expecting a baby boy, they began looking for toys that “would grow with our son,” Atila says. “Our search turned out to be harder than expected. Many European makers were handcrafting beautiful, imaginative toys, but few shops in the U.S. carried them.”

Inventory at Odin Parker has grown to include wooden animals and vehicles, blocks and stacking toys, dollhouses and miniature furniture, kitchen play and musical instruments – and lots of stuffed animals. Decor ranges from music boxes to hot air balloons; the strollers are distinctive, too.