Child’s Play has a New Owner, “Rita Pin Ahrens to Continue Legacy of Beloved Neighborhood Toy Store”

5536 Connecticut Ave, NW

From a press release:

“Child’s Play Toys & Books announces Rita Pin Ahrens as the new owner and chief happiness officer of its three stores in Washington, D.C., McLean, Va., and Arlington, Va. As a long-time customer, former teacher and community advocate, Ahrens is honored to continue the legacy of Child’s Play as a locally owned, neighborhood toy store that has brought happiness to families for 35 years.

Ahren’s company, Soksaby, purchased the store on September 1, 2022. In the Khmer language, “soksaby” means “health and happiness.” Soksaby is a woman- and minority-owned business based in Washington, D.C.

Ahrens’s passion for games and imaginative play led to this junction in her career. A Khmer refugee who settled in Idaho, Ahrens learned to speak English playing Scrabble with her family. Her love of supporting children’s creativity was clear early in her career, as she taught weekly origami lessons and website programming to her middle school math students. She then took this passion into the nonprofit world, where she spent fifteen years advocating for increased educational opportunities; economic mobility; and diversity, equity and inclusion, with a particular focus on immigrants and refugees. She recently retired as the executive director for OCA-Asian Pacific American Advocates, the nation’s second-oldest civil rights organization for Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders.

Founded 35 years ago by Steven Aarons, Child’s Play sells thoughtful toys and books, specially curated to develop children’s sense of wonder and play. Aarons and his wife, Simmie Kerman, recently retired but will continue to serve as consultants to the store for the next year.”