What started as a hobby has now become a family business. Jessica and Shane Knox were in Athens at the 55th Annual Tennessee Valley Old Timer Fiddler’s Convention where their toy tent would catch the eye of any child running around. The couple started Knox Handmade Toys three and a half years ago.

Shane, who had made toys with his father and grandfather as a child, had been in the restaurant industry for 30 years and decided he wanted to do something different and decided to revisit his past toymaking.

“In 2019, I’d had enough and quit with no plan other than to spend a month “at leisure,” in contemplation of two divergent roads,” Shane said. “Needing something to occupy my cerebellum I headed to the local discount tool store and, under my wife’s skeptical but indulgent eye, spent a couple stacks of nickels on basic woodworking tools.”

From there, he began making small toys to occupy his time, tossing them in a bucket as he finished them.

“By the time the bucket was full of toy cars, I was pretty sure that what I really wanted was not to have a job at all,” said Shane. “My wife’s response was ‘What, are you going to sell toy cars for a living?’ We both laughed, but pretty soon she had a local flea market pulled up on the web, and was registering us for the next Saturday.”

While at the flea market, a little girl asked Shane if he could make a train.

“I had nothing else to do, so I made a train, and then another and another and so on. Next thing I knew we were going to farmers markets and selling a few toys, making new contacts and getting new ideas for toys,” said Shane.

Knox Handmade Toys is now Shane’s full time job.

“I spend all my time making and selling toys. I never got around to getting a job, but so far they haven’t taken the house and the lights still work,” said Shane.

Jessica can be found working alongside Shane going full time into the business as well.

“As of June 2022, I am now full time working from home with Shane. Since 2019, I have been mostly a behind the scenes support role and now will take a more active role with our business with the admin tasks that will help us grow. I am also learning more about the creation and assembly of our toys,” said Jessica.

With the holiday season right around the corner, Jessica anticipates an increase in interest from customers.

“We sell kids toys and stuff. The holiday season is definitely our busiest time of the year,” said Jessica.

There are many benefits to sourcing your holiday toy shopping from local vendors. With Knox Handmade Toys, you will find many points of uniqueness.

“These are handmade toys, no two are the same. So you can find one that really speaks to you,” said Jessica.

Beyond that, the Knox family doesn’t use any paint, stain, or metals in their products so it is safe for kids who have a tendency to chew or suck on their toys.

The Knox family believes in supporting locally and “we try to source everything as much as possible locally,” said Jessica. The wood they use in their toys is locally sourced from Hobby Hardwood Alabama.

The toys are also assembled with non-toxic wood glue.

The Knox family can be found selling their handmade toys at the Trash Panda’s Winter Wonderland during November and through Christmas this year.

“All though I was very nervous about how this would all go in the beginning, I am happy to say that I couldn’t be more proud of Shane, and myself, for how we have built our toy making business into a lifestyle that we can now both enjoy full time,” said Jessica.

More about Shane and Jessica and their toys can be found at www.knoxhandmadetoys.com.