Crowdfunding Support Alone Won't Save Clayton Toy Store

Last month community support prevented two popular St. Louis area toy stores from closing shop as originally planned--but the company still has challenges ahead, according to a recent KMOX report.

Happy Up, Inc., the owners of LagoonaMagoo Toys in downtown Clayton and Once Upon a Toy in Edwardsville, Ill., announced they'd be closing because they couldn't pay off a bank loan. A Save the Toy Store effort on Facebook and Crowdtilt fundraiser raised more than $82,000 and kept both stores open.

However, sales have been "challenging" this month, and both stores need to increase business, owner Shawnta' Ray told KMOX. The Clayton store is in particular need of an immediate boost of traffic, according to the report.

Find out what other issues the fundraising efforts have posed for the small business on KMOX.

LagoonaMagoo sets itself apart as a 'hands-on' toy store. Do you think it can survive against big box retailers like Walmart and Target? Tell us in the comments.

Learn more about the toy store:

• Meet the Owners of LagoonaMagoo Toy Store