Toy store owner did her homework first

A mere 10 months later, her vision was a reality, moving from business plan and scouting out a location in Jamaica Plain, to selecting a computerized point-of-sale system, choosing lighting and shelving, building up inventory, and “a lot of lifting, lugging, and hauling boxes around.’’

And the store’s name? Boing.

With 18,000 toys in inventory - double that during the holidays - Hackney said paperwork and staffing issues consume much of her time. “Being a toy store owner is a combination of creativity, strategy, and management, as well as having an understanding of how toys contribute to a child’s development.’’

Hackney said the secret to success in this niche retail venture is doing your homework before launching the business. She did exactly that, consulting with established store proprietors, even volunteering her time and working for free in another neighborhood toy store, getting actual hands-on experience and training.

If opening up a toy store is out of reach, working as a sales representative for a toy manufacturer also can give some of the satisfaction, said Hackney.

Is it a dream job? “It is, except when it comes to the realities of running a small retail business,’’ she said. “I don’t get to go on vacation very much and when the economic crash happened, it hit me hard.’’ But when she sits in her back office, crunching numbers, and hears a little child’s voice saying, “Oh, I love this toy,’’ well, that’s when it’s all worth it, said Hackney.