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OWNERS FRED AND DIANE HALE and EMMETT DUEMKE  
Playnix Toys closed December 3st, 2005 after 33 years of business. Here is some of the history that began so long ago and lasted for 33 wonderful years!
In 1971, Diane and Fred Hale were teachers living in Washington D.C. He taught industrial arts better known in the vernacular as "shop" and she taught Math and Science.. When they went searching for sturdy furniture for their first child, they found nothing appropriate. Fred began to build custom-made beds in the shape of trains and other designs, Friends asked him to do the same for them and Fred began to dream. In 1972, after doing their homework about cities with growth potential and lots of children, Fred and Diane packed up everything, quit their jobs and moved to Colorado and founded Playnix Toys.  They lived and built furniture in the back of their first store located at 1855 S. Broadway. "We made $52 on our first day in business, selling plaques for children's rooms," laughs Diane Hale. From the beginning Fred was the engineer, designing and building award-winning children's furniture. Diane was the buyer and "play consultant" who searched around the world for educational and creative toys and worked with parents and grandparents to find just the right toy. The store moved to Gaylord street in 1974, in the artisans district, where they stayed for 14 years. 
Their second store was opened on Jefferson Avenue in 1981 across the street from their current "Castle" and corporate headquarters. After three years they ventured to build their own vision at 3530 S. Logan. It was patterned after Fred's popular castle beds, shaped like a giant toy castle. In, 1984 they closed the Gaylord street store and opened in the Belcaro Center on Colorado Blvd., near Cherry Creek. In 1986 Emmett Duemke joined the company. The Duemkes and the Hales met through their children's softball and soccer leagues. In 1997 they opened the Meadows Marketplace store, near the Park Meadows Mall. Duemke spent 20 years with Tandy Corporation working his way up in the Radio Shack retail business from warehousing, before college. Returning after a stint as a 2nd lieutenant in the US Air Force and completing an MBA to work in sales, to district manager, buyer and finally regional manager, a position from which he retired in 1985 at 38 years of age, to consider a new career. With Duemke's help the Hales have opened many new stores. He has led the way to expanding the corporate headquarters on S. Logan St., computerizing the operation and beginning a more aggressive promotional program. |
During the course of their years in business the Hales have opened 5 stores and raised 6 children, the eldest of whom now work in the business as well. According to Fred Hale, "we built the business for the children and with the children." Diane Hale notes, "When parents came in to our store they'd see my baby in the play pen, Parents would put their children in the playpen with mine and we'd talk about toys." 
Great family dogs! Australian Shepherds.
Catalina Australian Shepherds