“We are over the moon with this adorable little store! It is packed with great toys, clothes, books, and more. The lady running the shop was extremely friendly and helpful … This is our new and only go-to toy store when we go to Great Barrington. Thank you for your kindness and great variety!”
—Heidi Zeltmann, Google reviews
“I felt lucky to find this beautiful space,” Matrushka owner Brooke Redpath begins, referring to the storefront at 28 Railroad Street, long occupied by The Gifted Child and then for much shorter stints by Depart Wines and DARE Bottleshop.
For the past 15 years, Matrushka inhabited the former Andrews Insurance Company building at 309 Main Street, which was still owned by Tom Andrews until he sold it last winter. “I was having trouble finding an appropriate space and needed to be out by the end of August. It felt important to stay in downtown Great Barrington,” she emphasizes. “This is where our customers expect to find us.”
“We didn’t have to do any major renovations here, generally just moving shelving,” she says, noting this was in sharp contrast to when she moved into the last location. “In fact, we moved in on a Wednesday and opened in time for the last Berkshire Busk weekend that Friday.” Now, at the height of the holiday season, the store is filled with customers searching for the right gift—and a trademark red-and-white polka dot mushroom bag to bring it all home in.
“The light is lovely here, the windows and entryway are better situated, and the foot traffic on Railroad Street is very good,” she continues. However, because the space is smaller by roughly 400 square feet, she’s had to curb her appetite a bit regarding what it can hold. That’s not a problem for someone who’s been in the business for 17 years (the first two in the space above Yellow House Books) and can anticipate the natural cycles for shoppers. “I haven’t let any of the categories go. Come January, I’ll have to see, but I believe I’ll be able to streamline things in a way that won’t impact the selection,” she acknowledges.
Redpath used to have four part-time employees, but things quickly changed due to COVID, when students moved away, and others opted not to work due to health concerns. Redpath’s family helped out during the pandemic, allowing her to offer private shopping and curbside pick-up, but they returned to previous commitments shortly after. Now, with her kids all grown (two out of college and one in), she does it all—ordering, buying, bookkeeping, and minding the store.
You would be hard-pressed to find a more thoughtfully curated collection of items for children of all ages. Whether you’re looking for games, toys, art materials, craft kits, baby’s clothing, or books, you will find something unique and imaginative. To understand what inspires her unique and wise choices, it helps to know that her mother had a 40-year career at the Steiner School as an early childhood teacher, and her father was a sixth-grade math and science teacher.
“I look for toys that can be used throughout childhood in different ways—or last from one generation to the next,” Redpath says, adding that she’s seen plenty of changes in the industry over time. Although she used to carry more locally made items, the lead paint scare a while back created the need for more stringent requirements, making it harder to stock locally-made products from smaller toy companies. “You need independent, specialized testing for things like choking hazards and finishes. It is expensive and difficult for some companies to get certificates of conformity.” Now, the challenge is that many European countries have different requirements from the U.S., so she must carefully check every product.
People have come to expect that level of care from Matrushka over the years. Meeting their expectations keeps her vigilant—“but it also brings me a lot of joy,” she’s quick to say. She carries several sought-after lines, including Maileg (a Danish company well-known for its mice and bunnies and their accompanying beds, houses, and castles), Grimm’s (a German maker of water-based stained beechwood blocks), Ostheimer (also German, specializing in wooden animals), Sarah’s Silks (streamers, squares, and capes for imaginative play), and a wide selection of Waldorf dolls and fairies. Japan-based kiko+ & gg* takes toys traditionally made from plastic and redesigns them out of wood.
In addition to shelves filled with games for all ages (be sure to check out Match Madness by FoxMind), you’ll find an inspiring array of puzzles, cubes, brainteasers, old-fashioned favorites like Slinky and Jacks, and new favorites like Zip String.
The shop’s hand-picked books have long been the standard for gift-giving, such as “The Raft” by Jim LaMarche, the Elsa Beskow collection, and the Usborne sticker books (not sold on Amazon). “Most are by authors or illustrators I know from my experience as a mother,” she explains—“favorites from my childhood or from reading to my children.” Many are used in Waldorf settings, which generally promote “stories based on real things, focusing on art, beauty, keepsakes.”
Redpath says she is building up her clothing selection to round out what’s available from Bon Dimanche and Fluff Alpaca. “I try to carry mostly all natural fibers—Merino wool, cashmere, and cottons (pima, Egyptian, Indian, and organic).” She talks to customers to see what they’re looking for before placing orders (some, she points out, only buy organic or used clothing). PNW is a new brand gracing her clothing racks, featuring softer materials and more muted color palettes.
She’s also paying attention to the packaging. “Companies that wrap their products more sustainably make more sense now,” she says, noting that many are returning to paper or cardboard rather than plastic. “By buying from those companies, I’m supporting their efforts. Little by little, I hope we can eventually change the industry.” Likewise, she’s no longer returning boxes that get dented during the shipping process; instead, she keeps them and sells them for less. She credits the next generation for “opening our eyes to things like that.”
Know someone who’s expecting? There’s a sizable infant section at the back of the store, complete with books, toys, felt mobiles, clothes (including sweaters with matching hats by Figgy Friends), and the softest stuffed animals ever. Want to encourage a young artist? There’s an impressive variety of paints, pencils, papers, and craft kits—from Origami to bracelets, dolls to scratch art. And yes, she carries the newest phenomenon in watercolor painting—instructional books by Emily Lex Studio.
What challenges are on the next horizon after the big (albeit short-distance) move? “The possibility of tariffs and the recently announced hike in UPS rates may make it harder for local businesses to keep thriving when you factor in all the outside influences,” she shares. “The industry has changed drastically over the last 15 years, with so many people turning to online buying, but even with those changes, this is still a lovely way to spend the day.”
“I love it when I find things with good play value that could excite a child,” she continues. “And I want you to see something new each time you come in.” Redpath is also committed to showing customers how the toys can be used (to make them better understood) and offering different price points so shoppers have affordable options. And many of the toys designed for kids are also appealing to adults. “Surprisingly, dads are our biggest buyers of the Steel Tongue Drum,” she notes.
As for the mushroom logo? “It’s been with me from the very beginning,” she smiles. “I wanted to brand the store in a way that would be recognized—something whimsical that captured the magic of childhood and represented the essence of what we do (offering engaging and surprising finds). So I started putting it on my signs, wrapping paper, and bags.”
As she describes its magic, the doorbells jingle, and a customer comes in from the rain. “You found us!” Redpath enthuses, and the magic of childhood returns again.
