Once Upon a Child Locations Locator Map and Directory

Once Upon A Child was founded in 1985 by Dennis and Lynn Blum of Columbus, Ohio. Like parents everywhere, Mrs. Blum knew how expensive it was to raise children—she had three growing boys herself. She understood the frustration of investing hard-earned money in children’s toys, clothing and equipment only to see them outgrown before kids had a chance to wear them out! Lynn looked around one day at the piles of children’s items around her and thought, “Wouldn't it be great if there were some way to recycle all this kids stuff?” With the blink of an eye, Lynn’s creative recycling idea was born: establish a place where parents could buy and sell gently used, nearly new kids’ items - making and saving money at the same time. It was the birth of Once Upon A Child! With only a few dollars in her pocket and help from her husband Dennis, Lynn transformed her dream into reality. She opened her first store in Perrysburg, Ohio in 1984. In 1992, the franchising rights for Once Upon A Child were sold to Growbiz International (Now known as Winmark Corporation). Dennis and Lynn Blum continue to own and operate 9 Once Upon A Child Stores in the Columbus & Toledo area & several other resale concepts unaffiliated with Winmark. OUAC, Inc. also founded the Plato's Closet store concept and continue to own and operate 6 stores in the Columbus & Toledo Area. The franchising rights for Plato's Closet were sold to Winmark in 1998.