Jim Weigl President of Virginia Toy and Novelty Co. in Virginia Beach

02 July 2012 –Virginia Toy and Novelty Co. designs, develops, imports and distributes toy and novelty products

When did you start the business and what gave you the idea for it?

The business started in 1999 as a hobby and evolved into an importing, designing and worldwide distribution company. I initially intended the business to be a part-time hobby to keep me busy.

I began selling glow-in-the- dark necklaces at local festivals and events. They were very popular items at the time. As time passed and I became more successful at what I was doing, I made the decision to expand the business.One thing I focused on was reducing the cost of merchandise. The only way to do that was to buy directly from the manufacturer located in China. After doing this, I started to expand the business to other cities in Hampton Roads. That is when the volume of merchandise I needed increased and I decided to become my own importer.

Read the interview at [Inside Business].​​