Pinwheels is a gem located on the island of Nantucket, MA. Beth Hanlon, owner, bought the toy store thirty-three years ago. She fell in love with the island, and nothing sounded better than permanently living there while running a children’s business. Following her calling she curated a special collection of toys and clothing.

Being on an island means the warm season brings in many visitors. Anyone who stops by Pinwheels is sure to be cheerfully greeted by the friendly and knowledgeable staff. The young people who work with Beth are usually college or high school students. Beth tells us she feels lucky to work with them and “finds that working with students is fun and educational. They love getting to know the customers and usually give 110%!” She works alongside her staff all 7 days of the week. The dedication, focus on staff and awesome customer service isn’t all that has kept Pinwheels open for decades. Their beautiful and carefully curated selections also keep people coming back.

Their toy section is one we are proud to be a part of, only a few toy brands have made the cut. “I am rather picky about the toys I carry because they need to really stand out. I saw Candylab and decided I had to have it. I loved your story and what you were doing. The rest is history!" Shares Beth. The customers who visit the store are drawn to our wooden toy cars and “always come back for more.”

In the past 33 years, Pinwheels has endured a lot! When the No Name Storm in the 90’s flooded the store, everything was lost. Giving up was never the plan for Beth — “It had always felt like I was flying by the seat of my pants - good years, bad years, 2nd jobs to keep it going - all kinds of things I thought were challenging. Little did I know!” she says. When the pandemic began this was the hardest of all trials for Pinwheels.

They went from ten employees to three, closed their Play Table, and had to remodel the entire business. Though numbers were down at first, Pinwheels evolved, launching their website as a response to the shutdown. By 2021, the entire staff had returned and the shop was open and buzzing. Beth adds “Pinwheels is still around, and I attribute surviving COVID to having the best team of worker bees EVER!”

If you ever find yourself on the Island of Nantucket, be sure to stop by Pinwheels!

Go check out their website, read their Blog, and give them a follow on IG!

Visit their shop:
32 Centre St, Nantucket, MA 02554

https://pinwheelsnantucket.com/

@pinwheelskids

*Photos courtesy of Pinwheels