5Q: Jon Levy, master of Mastermind Toys

There's a reason why Jon Levy, chief executive and head toy buyer of Mastermind Toys, has been in the toy business for 30 years. He's clearly a big kid at heart given the sheer glee in his voice when talking about his favourite toy, Kapla Blocks.

Levy, who founded the store in Toronto with his brother Andy in the 1980s, explains how the rectangular-shaped blocks can be manoeuvred perfectly, are made with pine originating from a forest near Bordeaux, France and require no nails or glue. You can stack and create anything from a geometric, non-descriptive design to a giraffe, says Levy. It's no wonder the privately-held speciality toy store is popular. It is typically staffed with similarly chipper staff.

The holiday toy-buying season is a busy time for Mastermind, but Levy has also got his mind on 2014 and beyond. That's when he plans to start rolling out new stores across Canada as he embarks on an aggressive three-year campaign that is expected to bring the total number of Mastermind stores to 70 from the current 29. When asked about annual sales, Levy replies: "We're not a $100-million company, but we're well on our way."

Earlier this year, Mastermind made its first foray outside of Ontario, opening a store in Calgary, Alta. In the fall, Levy opened another one in Langley, B.C. With private equity backing from Birch Hill Equity Partners, Levy is betting Mastermind's unique blend of fun and educational toys will appeal to kids and adults alike.

How did Mastermind get started?

My brother and I came froma business computing background. It was an interesting time. People were just getting computers in their homes. We were curious about what families would do with them. Our thought was that it would become somewhat of an educational tool. It was the time when microwaves became very popular. While we're trying to get our food hot quicker, my brother and I were trying to think of ways to get our kids smart faster.

How did you get into other toys?

People came in with their kids and they're sitting at these home-built computer stations that we created in our first 300-square foot store. We started to just naturally buy other things like little robotics kits and other science-oriented kits. Then we started to get curious about developmental toys even the simplest things like wooden blocks or wooden train sets.

You're known for having smart toys. Is that why the store is popular?

We edit the selection of products we sell. Our customers walk in and they immediately feel that it's only the good stuff. Someone has gone through and made sure everything has been thought of. The second thing is it's very thoughtfully presented the clarity of presentation is really a key pillar. It's logical, you get into a section, it's intuitive. Often our staff come from an education background or they're moms or they're students who have a lot of experience with kids.

As chief toy buyer, where do go to find toys?

I like working local and visiting the trade shows here because I have long relations with the vendors in Canada. I also travel to Europe. The Nuremberg toy fair wows me every year. Asia. Hong Kong, Ningbo, Philippines, Thailand to name a few places. The toy fair in New York delivers probably the most saleable offerings.

Are there any toys that are generally popular during the holidays?

This is a time when a significant product like play kitchens or doll houses or a really great larger-than-normal set of Lego or Playmobil. It might be time of year when you might buy a junior tablet for a five year old. It's the wow-type buy for sure.

Are there any trends you've seen played out this year?

Interestingly, we're seeing a really solid trend on lower-tech toys. The absolute blockbuster toy of the year is the Rainbow Loom. I think what's particularly awesome about Rainbow Loom is that it engages kids to make something creatively. It takes a long time to do it so it invokes patience and practice. There's a whole research component because they have to go online and look at YouTube videos of other kids that have created ways to make bracelets they haven't thought of. They are then sharing their ideas with others so there's this collaborative element. That kids have delved into technology to take this totally non-tech toy to the next level. That is like the sweetest connection as technology as the tool, and not as the toy.

Why the switch? 

I think parents are really getting past the point of being wowed themselves by technology. They're seeing their kids get deeply engrossed in that type of communication. I think parents are doing their job to create a broader range  of interests and interactivity for their kids. You know what we're seeing that is absolutely incredibly is a huge surge in what we call gamer games like Settlers of Catan.

It's nice to see people playing board games

I think we're starting to understand how technology fits into our world socially and we're not letting it completely engross us or our kids. We're trying to manage a nice balance of classic and traditional and non-tech product with all the tech gadgetry that is absolutely imperative to operating in today's world.

Is there anything unique about how boys and girls play?

We never built our stores and said this side is the girls, that side is the boys. We don't have pink or blue aisles. It really comes down to how kids play. Lego cracked the code about three years ago. They created a line of toys called Lego Friends. What it took into consideration is girls like to play as they build. Boys like to build and then play. It was just as simple as that. The code was so simple.

Where are toys headed and how does technology impact play?

We're growing our kids up too quick. Our readiness to say, Sarah's getting an iPhone so she doesn't need anything. Sarah's 9. No dolls, no sculpting clay, no craft kid. Really? That's it?

We see it all around us. The family on iPhones, heads down. Is that a problem?

I've found my own family in that mode on a vacation waiting in a line up, and thought bizarre. And then I thought, well, not so much. This is the modern world. We're multitasking, we're communicating on multiple platforms. The problem is when we don't fortify the other stuff.

*This interview has been edited and condensed