Toy hunters in search of quality will find themselves delightfully spoiled for choice at Ginger and Pickles, where timeless and traditional are watchwords of well executed design. The selection is colourful, fun and frequently educational and these toys don’t cost the earth, because they are sustainably sourced and ecologically sound.
Ginger and Pickles is an independent family shop business which opened in Upton upon Severn in 2020. The timing turned out unfortunate, just two weeks before the COVID pandemic shut everything deemed non-essential, but it enabled owners Pat and Catherine Badham to consolidate and build a website to facilitate both in-person and online sales which, then as now, includes free delivery to local customers.
For Pat, the shop was a new and daring venture after a long first career as a cabinet maker. Catherine, furloughed from her hospice job, was happy to help. With five children of their own, then aged seven to 15, they had plenty of product selection experience to muster, along with a ready-made testing panel.
Toys stocked by Ginger and Pickles are well-made, attractive and appealing, often hand-crafted in wood or fabric and invariably made individually or in small batches. There are toys for everyone, including babies, toddlers and the most demanding school age customers.
Hand puppets are a particular speciality, but from animals to art sets, building blocks to brain games, dolls to dinosaurs, they’re durable, aesthetically pleasing and harmless to the planet. Customer service is paramount and many a forgotten birthday has been rescued by the Badhams having precisely the right gift available.
Another wonderful aspect of the Ginger and Pickles shopping experience is where it is located, among a classy clustering of independent retailers, enjoyable eateries and an attractive riverside streetscene, often with festivals or special events in evidence.
Pat says: “Upton upon Severn is a lovely place to spend a day.”
