Cheeky Monday Toys celebrates 18 years in business on July 15

Cheeky Monkey Toys is celebrating its 18th anniversary and inviting locals to join in the fun on Sunday, July 15, from 11:00 am to 4:00 pm. The celebration will include prizes, balloons, games, face painting, crafts, and more.

Owned by husband-and-wife team Anna and Dexter Chow, Cheeky Monkey Toys started in a 900-square-foot store with three employees. They expanded to its current location (640 Santa Cruz Ave.), a space over four times the size, in 2007. They now employ a team of 14 people during most of the year and up to 21 during the holidays. The store has made giving back a priority by donating over $20,000 annually to local schools, children’s hospitals and non-profit organizations serving youth.

Cheeky Monkey Toys has also won many awards over the years, including community recognition through numerous readers’ choice awards from local newspapers; local recognition from the Menlo Park Chamber of Commerce with the Golden Acorn for Business Excellence in 2011; and industry recognition from the Western Toy and Hobby Representative Association’s Retailer of the Year in 2016.