After years of hoping to open a separate children’s section, Small favors store owner, Kasey Malley, and her business partner, Betsy Enders, finally did it and opened on Sept. 1. When the campus shop next door closed, they had the perfect opportunity to buy the space and turn what was once two separate stores into one.
“We’ve always had a small toy section in the store,” Malley said. “It was constantly bursting at the seams, and it was very popular with our customers, so we wanted to give it more space.”
Since then, the section has become a favorite stop for families, adding a new layer of warmth to the atmosphere of the the store. With the store being local to Grosse Pointe, many community members can use the shop to grab a birthday gift or drop in with their kids. Though prices can run a little high, customers appreciate supporting a local business. South teacher Dana Davenport and her son enjoyed the toy section on the first day of school this year.
“I love to support local whenever possible,” Davenport said. “It looked really great and my son and I were really excited to go. I will say it was really expensive and cost way more than toys like theirs would cost at Target or another store.”
While the prices can be a bit steep, the shop’s convenience continues to draw students and last-minute shoppers alike. Because the past toy stores in The Village have closed, before Small Favors expanded their inventory, shopping in Grosse Pointe for children’s toys could be difficult. Senior Sydney Eickhorst ’26 has a history of needing to pick up last-minute birthday gifts for her younger sister.
“My sister Daisy loves Jellycats,” Eickhorst said. “I’m really happy that that’s one of things that takes up a big part of the new section because I always need to get her birthday presents and sometimes forget. It’s also a good spot to take the kids I babysit to just look around. Sometimes parents don’t want them to just sit and watch TV so I like to take them around the community.”
The toy section took off easily because Malley and Enders had been spreading the word about their wishes to open the section for a long time. Without loyal customers ready to come and support right when they opened it may not have taken off as quickly as it had.
“The community has been incredible,” Malley said. “Our customers have been great, and I think it’s going to be really fun.”
