Gepetto’s is still facilitating joy 44 years later

Lori Kaye Lodes

Contributor

August 4, 2025

STEVENS POINT – The doors to Gepetto’s Workshop in downtown Stevens Point have been described as a gateway to wonder, magic, nostalgia or just good old-fashioned fun.

And Founder Bonnie Brown said it’s been that way since she set up shop more than 40 years ago.

Now totaling 4,500 square feet of joy, current owner Lindsey Jurgella said it’s not altogether different today than in years past, featuring a carefully curated selection of puzzles, games, arts and crafts, collectibles, stuffed animals, children’s books and more. 

Some are classics, she said, that date back to the time the store opened, yet still make for imaginative play – such as Schleich animal figures, Melissa & Doug products or Breyer horses.

Jurgella said such mainstays are displayed alongside some of the latest toy trends – from collectible Charlie Bears to Needoh stretchy dough that appeals to kids of all ages. 

“Building toys are also very popular right now, as you can be creative and learn a lot with them,” she said.

Meant to be

Growing up in the area, Jurgella said Gepetto’s Workshop was a familiar destination for her.

Like so many others, Jurgella said she was drawn inside by the opportunity to play and the promise of fun. 

Little did she know, she would eventually become part of the store’s team in 2015 and assume ownership of the store in 2021. 

In college, Jurgella said the store beckoned for another reason.

As a student at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point, she said she waited tables at a local pizza place and often waited on Brown when she dined there.

When she changed majors and schools to pursue a degree in business management specializing in entrepreneurship at Mid-State Technical College and needed additional experience, Jurgella said she narrowed it down to two opportunities she considered the most fun: Gepetto’s Workshop or a pet shop down the street. 

Fortunately, she said she chose to reach out to Brown.

“At the time, I only had restaurant experience and sought experience in a small retail shop,” she said. “[Brown] took me under her wing and taught me everything she knew. Never in a million years did I think I would own the business someday.”

‘Always growing, changing’

The transition to ownership, Jurgella said, began years in advance of the formal purchase, with Brown phasing out some of her inventory and Jurgella refreshing the store with selections of her own.

The COVID-19 pandemic hit, she said, while she was serving as the store’s manager, and getting through its trials and tribulations gave her confidence for her current role as store owner.

“I took the reins then and got us through that, so I knew I could do it,” she said.

Jurgella said she has kept most of the store similar to how Brown had it, but specializes in some things that weren’t previously part of the store – such as board games.

She said her personal collection numbers nearly 100 games.

“I am obsessed with board games and have expanded [the selection] in the store,” she said. “I have played so many of them.”

Though there is always room for the classics, Jurgella said she also enjoys researching new toys and bringing in new options.

Not only does she work with a slew of toy sales representatives – each of whom can represent 50 lines of toys – but Jurgella said she offers upward of 1,000 different lines of toys for customers to choose from.

“And it’s always growing and changing,” she said.

When curating the store’s selection, Jurgella said she canvases several toy retailer magazines, checks out information from the American Small Toy Retailers Association and does her own research as well.

She said she likes to keep the store’s inventory fresh, as well as its presentation.

“We have rearranged the store quite a few times,” she said. “The front of the store originally featured dolls and things, and I changed that up so it didn’t look like just a girls’ store.” That meant relocating some of the dolls and dollhouses [to] the second floor of the store, alongside a huge book section – that takes up about 500 of the store’s square feet.”

Some of the inventory, Jurgella said, shifts with the seasons, too.

“This time of year, it’s chalk and bikes, but we will move to sleds and snowball makers [in the winter months],” she said.

Store visitors, Jurgella said, include many long-standing, loyal customers – those within about a 20-mile radius, as well as people who travel up to four hours one way to experience all an old-fashioned toy store has to offer.

She said she credits both the selection and the store’s atmosphere for that.

“You can play here, try things before you purchase them,” she said. “Kids can come in and just have fun here.”

Jurgella said that pays homage to Brown’s original vision for the space, which she set up to look like an invitation to play.

Wholeheartedly believing Gepetto’s Workshop is meant to be a fun experience, Jurgella said, is the store’s key differentiator from other places which sell toys. 

“A lot of parents are looking to get their kids off technology, and everything in our store takes you away from devices unless there’s an [educational] science experiment,” she said. 

Keeping the store top of mind with customers, Jurgella said, takes many forms – from the social media Brown started and she expanded, to advertising and participation in downtown events. 

“We have built on our social media presence, primarily on Facebook and Instagram, although you’ll also find us on YouTube and TikTok, [too],” she said. “The biggest thing we’ve done is change the website, so it’s not just informative – people can shop there and buy items on the site.”

Though the entire inventory isn’t available online, Jurgella said it gives customers a taste of what’s available in-store.

Participation in local events, such as the recent Discover Downtown’s sidewalk sales and activities, she said, goes a long way in reaching new people as well.

“Being downtown can have its ups and downs with development, but our downtown is fabulous,” she said. “We have a lot of new businesses popping up, and it’s neat to see they’re fixing up the Fox Theater.”

Jurgella said the gig never gets old – noting that she thoroughly enjoys working with customers and knowing that each day brings something new. 

“I’m definitely not doing the same thing every day, and it’s fun to watch the kids and families pick out things that make them smile,” she said. “I’m just a giant kid at heart.”

For more, head to gepettosworkshop.com.