Chris Pluymert of Tinley Park addresses the village board. | youtube.com
Chris Pluymert of Tinley Park addresses the village board. | youtube.com
The Village of Tinley Park shined the spotlight on one of its local businesses at a recent board meeting, choosing Classic Collectibles for the honor because of how the store treats its customers.
As a toy store, it’s only fitting that a large part of the business relies on children, so youngsters are welcome not just to shop, but to be part of the business in terms of haggling over prices and such.
“My staff is ... they're told to take care of the kids,” owner Chris Pluymert said at the Nov. 1 meeting, a video of which is on YouTube. “(Children are) allowed to come in there. They can trade and barter with us. Give us a hard time if they want. There's just not a lot of that left anymore, you know? So we focus on that.”
Pluymert said his business offers new and used toys, including vintage toys. Classic Collectibles has been open more than five years, though it is relatively new to Tinley Park, opening an outlet there in October 2021.
Pluymert had long dreamed of running such a store, reflecting back on a childhood where he ran a pretend store in his bedroom.
The store is open Wednesday through Sunday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., with some upcoming extended holiday hours. Because it relies on trade-ins, the store inventory changes almost daily.
While the store offers some expensive collectibles, Pluymert said his goal is to run the store as a family-friendly, kid-centered place to shop.
He invited shoppers to stop by and give his place a whirl to support the local economy this holiday season.
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