Black Friday? It’s SNACK Friday at Pufferbellies!

Tomorrow we’ll be hosting the first-ever Snack Friday at Pufferbellies. (It might be the first Snack Friday anywhere – I don’t know!)

Here’s how it works: Free snacks. All day long. You show up, we feed you. Pretty simple right?

Won’t you join us? It’s this Friday, November 27th, from 10AM to 9PM.

In addition to all the delicious free snacks, we’ll be offering a few while-supplies-last specials. Here they are:

• Purchase a Calico Critters Cloverleaf Manor at the regular price of $199.99 and get a FREE $50 Pufferbellies gift card to spend on anything in the store.
• Purchase a Twilight Turtle, Twilight Ladybug or Twilight Sea Turtle at regular price and get a FREE relaxing CD — choose from Maternal Whispers or Raindreams.
• Purchase a Nilo N51 Activity Table at our regular price of $199 and get a FREE Nilo Theasel (a $55 value). A Theasel is a combination puppet theater and easel and is truly cool.
• Purchase a Melissa & Doug standing puppet theater at our regular price of $99.99 and get a FREE $25 Pufferbellies gift card to spend on anything in the store.

(Obviously, some restrictions may apply to the Snack Friday specials listed above. See store for details.

Santa Claus is coming to Pufferbellies

We’re so excited. For the first time ever, Santa Claus himself will be visiting Pufferbellies in downtown Staunton, Virginia, this December! Santa will be here on the following dates:

Sunday, December 6 — 1PM – 3PM
Friday, December 11 — 6PM – 8PM
Sunday, December 13 — 1PM – 3PM
Friday, December 18 — 6PM – 8PM
Sunday, December 20 — 1PM – 3PM

Our goal is to make this a relaxed, low-pressure time with Santa. Santa will visit with children one at a time in our book department, and parents are welcome to bring their own cameras to record the moment. Please note that there might be a wait to see Santa depending upon how many children arrive. We will assign everyone who wants to visit Santa their own number, and call them when it’s time. No standing in line, and plenty of opportunities to shop and play while you wait. All the children who visit with Santa will get a special treat from Pufferbellies, too.

We’re thrilled to welcome Santa to our store this year, and we can’t wait to see you here, too.

Book Drive update – November 22

Great news! We’ve passed the 100-book mark in our 2009 Warren H. Drumheller Memorial Book Drive. Since October 25 of this year, Pufferbellies customers have donated 107 new books to local school libraries and child-care centers. THANK YOU! You have until December 31st to donate books — let’s make it to 300 books this year!

2009 Book Drive update

Update to the update: As of 11/15, we have collected 43 books! We have new wish lists, too — check out the navigation bar on the right to see them.

So! Our 2009 Warren H. Drumheller Memorial Book Drive kicked off on October 25, and we’re off to a fantastic start. So far, our customers have donated 27 books to nine local schools and child care centers. Last year we collected more than 200 books — this year, we’re aiming for 300. CAN WE DO IT? I think we can! Let’s rock and roll.

Need a refresher on how the Book Drive works? Here you go. And here are some quick links to the wish lists we’ve collected from area librarians so far:

Beverley Manor Elementary School
Beverley Manor Middle School
Hugh K. Cassell Elementary School
Clymore Elementary School
Covenant Nursery School
Grace Christian School
Thomas C. McSwain Elementary School
Shelburne Middle School
Staunton Montessori School – Miss Nancy’s Class
Staunton Montessori School – Miss Susan’s Class
Verona Elementary School

PS — if your school or child care center doesn’t have a wish list, it’s OK! Here are two things you can do: 1. Come in and choose a book from our in-stock selection. We’ve got thousands of titles to choose from, and we will be pleased to recommend something if you need help deciding. 2. Tell your librarian to send us a list!!

Sparkles and Sweets in Downtown Staunton – Friday, November 6

We’re getting ready for one of our favorite annual events — Sparkles & Sweets. It’s coming up this Friday, November 6, from 6 to 9PM. Nearly all of downtown Staunton’s shops, galleries and restaurants are participating. It’s an opportunity for you to enjoy free sparkling beverages and delicious treats at all the stores, take advantage of food and drink specials at the restaurants, and meet up with your friends and family to see everything that downtown has to offer. A lot of folks use this as a kick-off to their holiday shopping — we’ve got our Christmas and Hanukkah wrapping paper ready to go, so bring it on! This year there will be street entertainment, too, including live music and … FIRE JUGGLING. Yes! Any questions? Give us a call at 540-886-3516.

Trick or Treat in downtown Staunton tomorrow – Happy Halloween!

Don’t forget! We’re celebrating Halloween with a trick-or-treat in downtown Staunton tomorrow morning. It all starts at the Wharf parking lot at 9AM, where you can decorate a treat bag. Then go from store to store between 10AM and noon to collect your Halloween treats. See you tomorrow morning!

Cupcaaaaakes! At Pufferbellies.

This was the scene yesterday morning when we unpacked our first shipment of Melissa & Doug cupcakes. (Or as we call them, CUPCAAAAAKES!!)

Halloween Parade tomorrow! BUT WHAT IF IT RAINS?!

OK, so it’s calling for rain tomorrow evening. We really are hoping that it will hold off so that our Halloween Parade can go on … but what if it doesn’t? Here’s the plan:

If it’s just sprinkling, drizzling, or showering, the Parade WILL GO ON. Bring your umbrellas! If it’s pouring down rain, we will postpone the Parade until next Friday, October 30th. We’ll update this blog and our Facebook page to let you know what’s happening. Stay tuned! And hope for clear skies.

–Erin B.

Doinkit Darts – ASTRA Best Toys for Kids at Pufferbellies

Here’s another of our favorite toys  — Doinkit Darts from Marky Sparky make a great holiday gift, and they’re on the 2009 ASTRA Best Toys for Kids list, too!

Costume Parade at Pufferbellies – Friday, October 23

Big news! Pufferbellies is hosting our first annual Costume Parade on Friday, October 23 at 6:30PM. We’ll meet at Pufferbellies, parade around the block, then come back to Pufferbellies for a snack and a spooky story. Wear your costume, and feel free to bring a noise maker to use during the parade. All kids must be accompanied by a grown-up. What a fun way to celebrate Halloween in downtown Staunton, Virginia!