Ready or not, popular shop reopens this week: ‘I need some magic back in this place’

After a difficult summer of smoke cleanup, repairs, cleaning up from repairs and restocking, Gwen Ottenberg is ready to reopen her Imagine That Toys even if the store isn’t 100% ready.

“I need some magic back in this place,” she said. “I miss the kids. I miss the laughter and just the fun.”

The store had been damaged by a serious amount of smoke from the June 8 fire at Beau Monde Spa & Boutique, a neighbor in Comotara, at 29th North and Rock Road.

Though the store is not quite as stocked as it soon will be, there still is plenty of new merchandise available.

“We’re flinging open the doors,” Ottenberg said. “They say in business that if you wait ’til it’s perfect, it’s never going to happen, so we’re going for it.”

She said there is a huge selection of Jellycats, all of the August Legos, a full wall of science, dress-up clothes and baby items among other things.

Ottenberg said the last contractor finished on Friday, so she had to be careful not to bring too many items in too early because she had only so much storage room where products wouldn’t get damaged.

She plans some grand-reopening festivities — more on those soon — in September.

“We’re waiting on lots of other goodies to show up, but we’ve got to open,” Ottenberg said.

The store is back to its regular schedule this week.

“Mentally, I think it’s going to be good for me,” she said. “It’s been a long summer, and we’re excited to be back.”

This story was originally published August 25, 2025 at 4:04 AM.