Sunday conversation: Roberta Bonoff, chief executive of Creative Kidstuff

Creative Kidstuff opened in Minneapolis' Linden Hills neighborhood in 1982, founded by Cynthia Gerdes. She later sold it to Myron Kunin, the founder of Regis. After Kunin's death in 2013, it was sold to his son Tim Kunin's Seattle-based charity company Greater Good. Roberta Bonoff has remained the retailer's constant since its inception. As the company's president and chief executive since 1998, she is leading the company through a difficult retail landscape dominated by Toys 'R' Us, Target, Wal-Mart and Amazon. The company closed stores in Des Moines, Maple Grove and in airports. It supplemented its online presence by purchasing Sensational Beginnings in 2013. We asked Bonoff about the toy market and how Creative Kidstuff is positioning itself. Some excerpts:

Q: What are the biggest changes happening in the toy industry?

A: People in retail are trying to figure out how to create their own identity. When it's all so homogeneous, you have to separate out, sell as a specialty retailer and make enough margin. Specialty retailers are struggling to exist in this climate.

Q: The toy industry seems overwhelming with choices, but I've heard you say there's actually been a loss of innovation.

A: The manufacturing side has had a lot of mergers and acquisitions. It tamps down innovation. We're having trouble finding basic products when vendors drop them. We struggled to find a good finger-paint. We just found a brand based in the U.K.

Q: In June you launched a wholesale division to help small, specialty toy retailers find products like that. How's that going?

A: We're trying to share the amazing, innovative products that we see when we go to Frankfurt [Germany] or the Nuremberg [Germany] toy fair, which is the world's largest toy fair. We think other specialty retailers want those too, just like we do. We are serving ourselves and other specialty retailers who don't or can't travel to these shows like we do.

A: Small toy stores can't afford testing so we'll pay for it. Testing products is our No. 1 priority.

Q: Is it a nationwide wholesale division?

A: Yes. We've hired 84 sales reps to reach hundreds of shops across the country. We're training the reps now, but it's in the beginning stages.

Q: What can you offer these shops?

A: They can get products from us that they've never seen before. We're sensitive to price point and margin, too. We speak the same language. We have to ask if it's a product that is ever sold at mass market. Is it part of a full product line? The people who've seen the program so far are thrilled. We want the industry to grow and flourish.

A: Little Brian Paint Sticks, for one. It's not a crayon or an oil stick, but it draws in vibrant colors. They're like silk paints but they don't smear and make a mess. The Whistle Car is a small car launched by blowing into a whistle. You blow and blow and blow, aim, push a button and the car flies. It's a good toy for kids with developmental needs. I also like I-Silicone clay that the child can shape and then bake in an oven at 400 degrees. The Book Monster cushion holds a book or a tablet in a child's lap.

Q: You've said that one of the hardest jobs in retail today is reaching the customer. What are you doing to find them?

A: We have our TV Show "The Happi House." It started locally in 2014, but we went national in October syndicated on Fox. We say take time to play and we do things that moms or dads can do with their kids.

Q: The TV show advertises products that you wholesale and retail but also has a charitable mission.

A: The owner's mission is to help repair the world. When you make a purchase at Creative Kidstuff, you can choose to make a contribution to a child in need — shoes, a toy, a coat or a book. A portion of the merchandise purchased goes to the foundation.