The third place for toddlers

Free prosciutto on a toothpick at the deli, free gift with purchase at the cosmetics counter, free trial magazine subscription...examples of free abound.  As consumers, FREE is so enticing to us because we want to avoid risk.  Humans assess the price of an item by assessing its benefits and subtracting its costs.  Free is so appealing, according to behavioral economist Dan Ariely, because the absence of cost seems to add to the benefits.

My favorite free gift right now is entertainment-- story time at a beloved local bookstore in St. Paul, MN called the Red Balloon.  Story time is a weekly event hosted at the bookstore.  Tuesday is baby story time, Wednesday is preschool story time, and Thursday is for toddlers.  The gifted storytellers combines music, puppets, and rhymes with reading books.

Sure, lots of bookstores and libraries have story time.  Most are occasional.  For moms like me who are planners, their sporadic nature makes them less appealing.  Plus, I see kids, mine included, come to anticipate the different portions of the story time, and look forward to their favorites segments.

This weekly event fills a need for SAHMs.  Its regularity enables parents to integrate it into a routine, a challenge with bi-weekly or monthly story times.  Typical baby behavior is accepted.  Kids are encouraged to grab books and explore them.  Internationally, Starbucks has successfully created a third place, the place beyond home and work where consumers can go to relax.  Within St. Paul. The Red Balloon's story time has transformed it into a third place for parents and the under-four set.

Of the forty or so parents who attend, I would guess that eight or ten make a purchase right after story time.  I rarely do.  However, whenever I need a birthday or holiday gift, Red Balloon ins my first stop.  Sure, I can save a few bucks if I order the books online, but the Red Balloon has given me so much joy with its story times.

Red Balloon has one location and a website.  This sort of retailtainment is a challenge to scale because it requires an investment in space and talent.  Examples include wine tasting at wine shops.  What other retailers create a link with their target shoppers by offering entertainment?