Somehow, it feels like the end of an era. Don Kipper, the son of the founder, also Don Kipper, of Kip’s Toyland in the Farmer’s Market in Los Angeles has died.
Don, the son, inherited the store from his father who had founded it in 1947 after being a POW during World War II. Earlier this year, CNN reported on the store and its history.
I knew Don over the past ten years or so as twice a year I would spend a morning with him doing segments for KTLA with anchor/producer Gayle Andeson. Over those years, and mornings that stretched from pre-dawn to Noon, Don and I had many conversations about his history, toys, play, and the complexities of being a small toy store in a world dominated by the big box retailers. Even when it was challenging, however, Don was always upbeat, and he loved talking to shoppers who came in looking for toys and making suggestions.
Even as he faced challenges from big box competitors and online, difficulty in meeting MOQs from larger manufacturers, and changing consumer purchasing habits, he kept going. The store was committed to classic play; they never sold anything that plugged in, though batteries were acceptable.
Don often told the story of how his father had founded the store. After what he experienced as a prisoner of the Nazis in the war, he committed to devoting his life to creating happiness, and he did. Don the younger continued that legacy. In recent years, Don’s daughter Lily had been primarily running the business under her dad’s watchful eye and keeping the play going into a third generation. The Kippers have always first and foremost been toy merchants who have put the play and the child’s experience with a toy as their primary consideration.
Don always had a twinkle in his eye and a waggish wit. He loved what he did and the joy he created for kids–even when the economics weren’t always in his favor. Don found joy in life and shared it far and wide through the magic and possibilities of play. He will be sorely missed.
