Cambridge store spotlight! A Q&A with Meghan, our new Cambridge manager

Meghan Monroe was a star salesperson at our Boston store at the Prudential Mall, so when our Cambridge store in Huron Village needed a new manager, it wasn’t a tough decision to promote her. Her energy is infectious, and her encyclopedic knowledge of toys and baby gear is truly impressive. Please welcome our new Cambridge store manager, Meghan!

Congrats on getting to manage your own Magic Beans store! We know you’re going to do an awesome job. What are you looking forward to at your new store and in your new position?

Thank you! I am most excited to re-merchandise and freshen up the look of the store! I am also excited that it is way closer to where I live, and to get to know my amazing new staff!

One thing that’s awesome about this company is how we promote from within, so people are rewarded for their talent and enthusiasm! Tell me a bit about how you got started at Magic Beans, and your trajectory up through the company.

I started at Magic Beans about a year ago, in the Prudential Center location. My old manager Theo, who is amazing, hired me as a salesperson full time, and I just fell in love with baby gear. I threw myself into the job, and quickly got promoted to a key holder. A couple months later, I was promoted again to Store Merchandiser. I LOVE merchandising and trying to put myself in the shoes of the shopper, it’s almost like a puzzle.

Tell me a bit about how you learned all about toys and baby gear, and about how you show new salespeople the ropes when they join the team.

Theo and Abigail over at the Pru, along with lots of help from Eli, Brian, Isaac, Diana, and Ben, and countless other Beansters have helped me learn the ropes (or rather vines, haha) of the Magic Beans way. Also, lots of note taking!

To be a true gear guru, you have to know a lot of specs about a lot of different products that are sometimes pretty similar. But my job is to help the guest navigate through this new baby gear/toy world to what is best for them. To ease their anxiety and make them an expert themselves.

I try and teach new Beansters little bits at a time, so it isn’t overwhelming, and lots and lots of playing and getting your hands on the product is also the key to learning quickly. It is much easier to understand, like the saying goes “practice makes perfect.”

What do you think makes our Cambridge store extra-special?

The fact that we are in Huron Village, a wonderful little community of families and small businesses about 5 minutes from Harvard Square. We are literally your next-door neighbor, and like them, you can go to us for advice. I love that!

Also, it’s pretty convenient if you have to go to a birthday party and forgot a present, since we are right there! I also am so excited about how much more space it has than my last store, which was a bit smaller.

Let’s talk about your favorite products: what’s your favorite stroller at Magic Beans?

That’s a hard question, there are so many good ones! Probably the Bugaboo Donkey  or Cameleon 3… I just love the craftsmanship of Bugaboo. Like, what other stroller can you use for all three children and still have it be in perfect condition? Go look at Craigslist or Ebay if you don’t believe me! Also they are just beautiful!

My dream Bugaboo would have a black base with the Special Edition Andy Warhol Bugs Pattern. OMG It is too cute! I just put one out on the floor at my store! Come see it! It really is a show stopper.

What are your go-to toys to recommend for customers shopping for birthday presents?

Well that depends on the age, and sometimes gender of the child they are shopping for. But my all time favorite has to be the Melissa and Doug costume dress up sets. They have Doctor sets and Explorer sets and Princess ones, Mermaids, etc. I really love them because they aren’t just the outfit, it includes props pertinent to the character. We always have a bunch at the stores, but you can also order whichever one you want with the child’s name embroidered on it for only $10 extra! How special is that? A coat that said “Dr. Laura” on it? That would totally be my favorite thing as a kid.

Magna-Tiles are also awesome, and of course Legos are the best, I love those Mixels!

What toy at our stores would you have been begging for as a little kid?

Sands Alive! It is both amazingly cool and also kind of weird at the same time. You have to play with it to understand. It is best described as a hybrid between play-doh, cotton candy, and sand from the beach. Or a fluffier kneaded eraser. I’ve seen adults play with it for like a half hour and then buy one for their desk at work. And it’s non toxic!

What’s your favorite thing about working for Magic Beans?

I love the relationships I have made with our guests! I have worked closely with expectant couples, and then they come back and show me their new baby! It’s so amazing to see a family blossom and grow! And who doesn’t love cute babies! The energy at work is always happy and positive, and I love that!

Need a new stroller, or the perfect birthday present? Ready to start a baby registry, or need some help installing your new car seat? Come to Magic Beans Cambridge and meet Meghan and her team! Or, visit one of our other five store locations – we promise, they’re awesome too!

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