The Realm of Play: Sir Troy’s Toy Kingdom

For the average person, running a toy store is a fantasy. It’s also a fantasy for Troy Cefaratti, owner of Sir Troy’s Toy Kingdom, but that fantasy is purely for aesthetic purposes. 

“Never in a million years did Troy think he was going to go down this path,” says Heather Marks, Vice President of Sir Troy’s. “Troy is a very math, very logic-based person.”

Now, he runs an independent toy store with three locations in Canton, Strongsville, and Solon, Ohio. 

Cefaratti started his retailing journey in 1999, selling LEGO pieces and sets online. Quickly, his business grew beyond the digital space and into a physical marketplace. In 2007, Sir Troy’s opened the doors to its first brick-and-mortar location. 

“As most independents know, you’re going to learn about things you never knew were even part of the process,” Marks says. “We are lucky that we have some great rep groups, and we have great people that we deal with in the industry who have really helped us along the way. I think for us, buying has always been a constant challenge. I always describe it as you’re planning for a party, but you don’t know what anyone wants to eat, and you don’t know how many people are coming, but here, make a menu and go shopping.”

Marks credits Sir Troy’s partners with making the business possible. For example, fellow Ohio company Wild Republic lent Sir Troy’s a counter when their counter was not ready for the store’s grand opening. 

“Wild Republic has always been a family-led business built on relationships; Sir Troy’s is an extension of that,” says Krystal Spahlinger, PHR, Global Director of People, Operations, and Culture at Wild Republic. “Troy and Heather were building something special for their community, and we wanted to support that in a real way. Helping with a counter, or anything else needed, is part of how we take care of our partners.”

Sir Troy’s has grown far beyond that first counter in the past 19 years. In 2022, the company launched its biggest location, clocking in at 30,000 square feet — around the size of half a football field. The stores may be bigger, but Sir Troy’s team works hard to maintain that small, local business experience that families love. 

“Growing into the larger footprint, it’s hard to keep that same experience,” Marks says. “We have set places throughout the store where you’re going to encounter a team member, and they’re going to ask you if you’re finding everything okay, have a discussion with you, and enhance that experience. Our biggest competition, brick-and-mortar-wise, is that if they don’t find it in our place, they’re going
to Target.”

One way Sir Troy’s maintains great experiences for families is with monthly events, including a LEGO minifigure swap, Pokémon card trading, and more. 

“I think those events that kids and parents look forward to — something free to do — are really important,”  Marks says. “And it’s just fun. I have been so pleasantly surprised that minifig swap goes so smoothly, and the bartering power some of these kids have is absolutely insane.”

Sir Troy’s dedication to a positive customer experience has not gone unnoticed. The company was a finalist for The Toy Book’s Pulse of Play award in the Retailer of the Year (Independent, Specialty, Hobby) category and is known throughout the industry for bringing magic to the retail experience for kids and families. 

“What I’ve learned from Sir Troy’s is that creating true ‘wow’ moments is all about building immersive, memorable, in-store experiences,” says Diane Mazzaro, Senior Director of Sales at Toysmith, one of Sir Troy’s distribution partners. “Simple but magical elements, like sitting on a throne and becoming a king or queen for a photo, turn a visit into something shareable and special. These experiential touchpoints create natural social media moments while encouraging customers to slow down, explore, and engage. The ‘wow’ comes from those thoughtfully designed areas that invite participation, spark imagination, and make the store feel like a destination.”

Over the coming year, Sir Troy’s plans will continue its tradition of high-quality events and exciting toys and displays for kids to discover in-store. Sir Troy’s is also bringing back in-store birthday parties, a practice that was originally discontinued amid the COVID-19 pandemic. 

“[We’re hoping to] continue growth and find those next things, whether it’s loving our fidgets and finding more of those, to trying to stay ahead of the curve and the trends, but really providing those quality imagination-powered toys that we believe in,” Marks says. 

A version of this feature first appeared in The Toy Book‘s 2026 Specialty Toys & Gifts Issue. Read the full issue here!

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