One Year On: Covid, Community and Giddy Goats

October 6, 2021 Mums&Dads 0 Comments Didsbury, interviews, toy shops

Last autumn, when we thought that we were going to get back to normal in a month or two, M&D asked Amanda Alexander, the owner of Giddy Goat Toys, about her experience of the first lockdown and her ways of keeping the business going during the pandemic. Now, a year on, we talk to Amanda again.

Q. Looking back on a difficult and unpredictable year which hasn’t offered much in the way of stability, what were some of the core things which helped give you a feeling of security during this time?

A. Coming into my shop everyday and sending out online orders and picking stock for click and collect orders kept me busy, but also gave me hope that the business would survive because of us having the website and still being able to bring revenue in.

Q. As well as dealing with practical difficulties, many people also found themselves coping with personal and professional isolation – as a small business owner, how did you manage to feel connected to the community?

A. Being a member of Down Your High Street – which is an online marketplace comprised purely of independent retailers – helped; not only were they sending sales my way but during the first lockdown when I was having to work on my own it really helped me to feel that I was still part of a team of other people. I’m also connected to a group of other independent toy shops via a WhatsApp group and we supported each other with messages and ideas of what products were selling well. I’m also part of the Didsbury Traders group, and again there’s a WhatsApp group so although my shop was closed I still felt connected to the village. Similarly our social media feeds were good as we would get comments and feedback from customers, which was really nice and helpful.

Amanda Alexander on her bicycle near Giddy Goar Toy shop, after doing round to raise money for the Toy Trust — Amanda and her team covered over 200 km during a bumper weekend of cycling, walking and running to raise money for the Toy Trust.

Q. For the past few months, things have been gradually opening up, and we’ve been experiencing more and more freedom (and responsibility)! What has been the highlight of this period for you and what was the biggest challenge?

A. It was great having children in, oohing and aahing again at the toys, it was lovely chatting to parents and getting the staff back in. But of course working in the shop this year came with its challenges. The main thing is to ensure that my staff are safe – we asked customers to wear facemasks, provided sanitizer and limited numbers in the shop but I still worried about the fact that the staff were coming into contact with lots of people and that kids being kids were picking things up and people were often in browsing for half an hour or more, and I worried about my staff catching covid.

Q. Looking ahead to the future, do you think our experiences over the past year will change the way people interact with their local high streets and their shopping habits?

A. I’d like to think people will appreciate their local shops, I think a lot will have converted to online shopping but I just hope they don’t all default to Amazon – there are plenty of independent shops that sell online! As well as us, many clothes shops in Didsbury including Bond, Kjole, McQueen and The Edit are all online, and as I mentioned before Down Your High Street has over 200 independent shops offering a great range of products – and with actual people at the end of the phone if you have a query on your order or want advice.

Q. And finally, with everything this year has thrown at your (and the business!), what have been your proudest moments?

A. Setting up a new computerised stock management system which made it a lot easier (eventually) to sell online. It took a lot of hours working in the shop and at home but it’s paid off and I’m proud to still be able to open my shop doors to the local children and parents of south Manchester, and provide part time work for 10 local people.

It’s hard to predict what the next year will bring for any of us. Once again, we’re hoping to be on the road to normal but if our recent experiences have taught us anything, it’s to be prepared for every possible eventuality! One thing’s for sure though: for small, local businesses such as Giddy Goat Toys community – whether that be a network of loyal customers or digital connection with other similar retailers – is once again going to be the key to surviving and thriving.

Visit the shop at
2 Albert Street
• Didsbury
Manchester M20 6RF
call 0161 445 1097 or visit www.giddygoattoys.co.uk