Our Story
where it started
Toy Lab was originally started in McLean, VA by Kathy Waehler and her husband. When her mother fell ill in 1999, she and her family moved to Sarasota in order to be closer to her. Kathy found the perfect location on Main Street, bought the brightest paint she could find for the outside, and Toy Lab Sarasota was born. The people in town loved having a local toy store and Kathy hired a very dedicated manager to take care of the store, Lynn Archibald.
Lynn loved the toy store so much that she and her husband Jim bought Toy Lab themselves when the Waehler family moved back up north in 2003. Lynn kept it a thriving part of Sarasota’s downtown up to their retirement in 2015.
The Campbell Family purchased the store in 2015 and continued the tradition until 2022. While the Campbell sons managed Campbell Cabinetry next door, sister Crystal lovingly managed and grew the Toy Lab.
family Ownership
Caleb and Joel are brother in laws and the proud husbands of Crystal and Grace respectively. The families have six children combined ranging from a newborn to a teenager. While looking for an investment opportunity, they found the Toy Lab and were inspired by the Campbell family story. We look forward to teaching our children the value of business and hard work while having a blast selling toys!
the future looks bright
It is important to the owners that the store remain what it has always been: a staple of Sarasota’s downtown core. It is far more than just a store! They delight in the fact that people pass through their doors in search of something to make others happy; the perfect birthday or Christmas gift, grandparents excited to thrill their grandchildren, children aglow with the glee that no box store or website can bring!
There is a view for the future that is equally as exciting as all the toys. We hope that the Toy Lab continues to thrive with the support of the community, that it remains a beacon of joy for everyone who stops in for a while, a place where innocence and imagination flourish. We hope you’ll come by and visit us and help make those dreams a reality!