Holiday wish lists are moving from a Jacksonville storefront to kitchen tables across the Rogue Valley as Happy Alpaca Toys & Supply introduces its first printed Christmas catalog, expanding the reach of a business that kept a longtime downtown toy-store location in use.
The catalog is arriving in mailboxes ahead of the holiday shopping season, featuring merchandise available at the independently owned shop at 180 W. California Street. Families can request a complimentary copy, browse the selection together and mark potential gifts before visiting the store. Mailed copies also include exclusive coupons.
For Happy Alpaca, which opened in 2022, the publication represents an effort to reach customers beyond those who already know the shop at California and Oregon streets. For families familiar with the former Scheffel’s Toys & More, it adds another chapter to a corner’s decades-long association with children’s toys and holiday shopping.
“Every toy in our store is there because we think it’s something special,” said Amy Kranenburg, co-owner of Happy Alpaca Toys & Supply. “Creating our first holiday catalog gives us a chance to share some of those favorites with a much bigger audience and hopefully introduce Happy Alpaca to families who haven’t found us yet.”
The store developed the catalog in partnership with The Good Toy Group, a cooperative that helps independent toy retailers produce catalogs and coordinate marketing. The publication brings a selection of Happy Alpaca’s merchandise into homes while directing purchases back to the Jacksonville shop.
Customers can also view the catalog digitally, although the business does not offer online ordering. The printed and digital editions allow shoppers to identify gifts in advance, then examine them in person or call to arrange a purchase for pickup.
The distinction between browsing and buying is practical for families traveling from elsewhere in the valley. Catalog merchandise is available while supplies last, and a marked page does not reserve an item. Customers can call to confirm availability before making the trip.
Paid holds require payment in full, with purchases set aside for up to seven days. If an item remains uncollected after that period, the store refunds the purchase and returns it to inventory. Gift wrapping is available at no charge.
Inside the shop, the merchandise extends beyond the seasonal catalog. Wooden toys, building sets, dolls, stuffed animals, books, puzzles, art supplies and family games share space with a children’s clothing boutique. Brands carried by the store include Brio, Plan Toys, Lego, Calico Critters and Ravensburger.
Several play areas allow children to handle toys during a visit. A train table, dollhouse and wooden kitchen provide places to build and rearrange, while a piano is available for visitors to play. A life-size alpaca near the entrance reflects the name Kranenburg and her family chose for the business.
The store’s founding followed the closure of Scheffel’s Toys & More, whose former premises required approximately six months of renovation before Happy Alpaca opened. Kranenburg and her brother, Aaron Butler, chose to continue operating a toy store in the historic Fisher Building after the family purchased the property.
That decision preserved a familiar use for a prominent downtown corner. The location had housed a toy store for about 30 years, giving the new business an existing connection to residents who had visited as children or brought their own families there.
The siblings’ roots extend across Southern Oregon. They grew up in Keno, above the Klamath River, as the children of educators, and both trained as lawyers. Kranenburg raised her three sons in Jacksonville, while Butler raised his son and daughter in Miami. Their experiences buying books, games and toys for their own children helped shape the store’s inventory.
The holiday catalog now gives that selection a wider audience through a cooperative established for a similar purpose more than two decades ago.
The Good Toy Group began in 1999, when 21 independent toy-store owners gathered at the New York Toy Fair to discuss producing a shared holiday catalog. The organization reports that its membership has grown to approximately 120 members operating more than 200 storefronts in the United States and Canada.
Its catalog program allows participating businesses to combine a professionally produced merchandise selection with their own store information and special offers. The cooperative also provides related digital marketing materials. Happy Alpaca’s participation connects the Jacksonville business with those shared resources while retaining its own name, location and purchasing arrangements.
The launch comes as downtown Jacksonville prepares for Victorian Christmas, with community events scheduled throughout the weeks when families will be making holiday purchases. Happy Alpaca is already decorated for the season, and several activities will take place within the downtown area surrounding the store.
The community tree lighting is scheduled for November 28 at 5 p.m. at City Hall, 206 N. Fifth Street. The holiday parade follows on December 5 at 10 a.m., with California and Fifth streets listed as the event location.
Father Christmas visits are scheduled at the U.S. Hotel, at California and Third streets, on Saturdays and Sundays from November 29 through December 20. The visits run from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. and are free. Holiday lights trolley tours begin December 1, offering an evening activity for visitors spending time in Jacksonville during the season.
Those events provide opportunities to combine a shopping trip with other downtown activities, although the catalog itself is available now. Families do not need to wait for the Christmas events to request a copy or check on a gift.
Happy Alpaca’s posted hours are 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday. The business will be closed on Thanksgiving and Christmas and will close at 3 p.m. on Christmas Eve.
Complimentary catalogs can be requested at happyalpacakids.com or collected at the store. Customers can check merchandise availability and arrange paid holds by calling 541-899-7421.