J. Goblish, manager, Picayune Toys

» What I do: Some toys come from Santa Claus, but some also come from J. Goblish and Picayune Toys, a specialty toy store in Dunwoody.

In the small shop — stocked floor to ceiling and wall to wall with dolls, puppets, trains, blocks, science kits and games — Goblish said her job is to “do whatever I have to.”

Enlarge this image

Karl Ritzler / Special

J. Goblish says you can’t be shy and run a toy store. She manages Picayune Toys in Dunwoody, owned by her mother, and spends much of her time arranging and rearranging the store. The best part of the job, she says, is seeing the elation when someone finds just the right toy. ‘I totally get a contact high off that,’ she says.

[an error occurred while processing this directive]

That includes buying the stock, greeting customers — many of whom she knows by name — cleaning up, ringing up sales and wrapping the purchases.

Goblish, 38, goes by her first initial, which stands for Jennifer. She’s the manager of the store owned by her mother, Rebecca Goblish.

Nearly every day, she said, more inventory arrives, meaning “we have to arrange and rearrange the store.”

On a display stand near the counter is a collection of rocks. “I have a passion for rocks,” Goblish said. “I love turning the young ones on to geology.”

“My favorite part is selling games,” she said. “We have every game we sell open. Want to play?”

That’s part of the service that Goblish said customers can’t get at a discount store. The store also stocks more high-end and specialized toys than those that are advertised heavily, but Goblish added that the store carries a selection of toys in every price range.

“People are so appreciative of good service,” she said. She personally will help a parent or grandparent find just the right toy, and one that is developmentally appropriate, for a child who is hard to buy for.

“It’s fun and exhilarating to have the thing someone is looking for,” she said. Some people have no idea — so I help find it. It’s very cool to be so helpful.”

» What got me interested in this: Goblish has been working at the store since it opened about six years ago. But it has been more than a job.

She survived being hit by a car about 15 years ago, but with a severe brain injury. She was in a coma for about five weeks and then underwent months of rehabilitation at the Shepherd Center.

“The brain is like your CPU,” Goblish said. The injury still “affects all kinds of parts of my life,” including some of her motor skills and short-term memory.

“Although very scared on my first days on the job, I found lots of positive feedback in my work,” she said. “The Army won’t take me, but I’m OK with it.”

In addition to her mother, Goblish has other family connections to the toy business. Her sister operated a former Zainy Brainy store and hired their mother as holiday help. “I wanted to be like my older sister,” she said.

» Best part of my job: “Helping somebody find the right thing, seeing their elation. I totally get a contact high off that,” Goblish said.

» Most challenging part: “I have a hard time with merchandising,” or displaying the toys in the best places and making use of space, Goblish said. “Mom does that.”

She also said she feels like she has let someone down if she can’t help a customer find the right toy.

» What people don’t know about my job: “It’s hard work, but it’s great as well,” Goblish said.

Goblish, a former employee of Greenpeace, also pointed out that the store was green before environmentalism became fashionable. They recycle nearly everything, including the boxes the merchandise arrives in.

» What keeps me going: “I love that I’m helping my mom,” she said.

» Preparation needed for this job: “You can’t be shy,” Goblish said. “You have to know kids and how to read parents, have good people skills.”

She said the store takes advantage of the family’s talents. Her father has an MBA from Harvard in marketing, and her mother is skilled at crafts.

A college degree isn’t necessary, but anyone starting a business needs basic business skills and enough money to get it going.

Goblish earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Georgia State University since the accident. She has held jobs as a canvasser and educator for Greenpeace and in an eyeglass lens manufacturing business with her father. But “since my accident, this is pretty much it” for jobs, she added.

- By Karl W. Ritzler, for ajcjobs. Got an interesting job that you love? E-mail your story to jobseditor@yahoo.com.

Please note: AJC policy prohibits the distribution of contact information (e-mail address, phone number, physical address) for subjects or sources in ajcjobs stories. If you are interested in contacting someone featured in Why I Love My Job, please get in touch with the person’s place of business directly. Thank you.