Dave Heisterkamp Closes His Store
and Opens our Hearts
Due to COVID-19, JennyBecs, a beloved toy store in Brentwood, is closing its doors after twenty years.
Dave Heisterkamp bought JennyBecs six years ago after moving to California from the East Coast. Although he moved to Santa Barbara, he joyfully made the three-hour commute to Brentwood twice a week for his customers. He would not pass up an opportunity to make a child smile. When children entered his store, Dave would take a knee to talk to them. He taught them how to shake hands, helped them find the perfect toy, and watched them smile when they held it.
Dave Heisterkamp bought JennyBecs six years ago after moving to California from the East Coast. Although he moved to Santa Barbara, he joyfully made the three-hour commute to Brentwood twice a week for his customers. He would not pass up an opportunity to make a child smile. When children entered his store, Dave would take a knee to talk to them. He taught them how to shake hands, helped them find the perfect toy, and watched them smile when they held it.
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JennyBecs was known for its service. Dave and his employees would ask parents specific questions to find the ideal toy for their child--whether they preferred to play alone or with friends, indoors or outdoors, physical or mental games. More often than not, parents would enter the store with zero idea about what to purchase, and leave with handfuls of toys that their children would love. If the toy was a present, JennyBecs employees would gift wrap it beautifully.
Like many businesses around the world, Dave could not negotiate his rent during the turmoil of COVID-19. Dave thought through potential options to keep the store afloat--such as curbside service--but with social events being cancelled altogether, the need for toys decreased tremendously. |
So, Dave made the difficult decision to close JennyBecs. But, despite such hardship, Dave has remained optimistic:
“I’m going through the same thing as a ton of others right now. It’s hard to act angry or sad on something so out of your control… Growing up, my mom always said: ‘you can laugh or you can cry,’ and I choose to laugh.”
“I’m going through the same thing as a ton of others right now. It’s hard to act angry or sad on something so out of your control… Growing up, my mom always said: ‘you can laugh or you can cry,’ and I choose to laugh.”
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Dave had the opportunity to sell the rest of his inventory; but instead, he has donated toys to multiple charitable organizations, including PRESENT NOW. On April 10, Melanie Neumann, co-founder of PRESENT NOW, drove to meet Dave at JennyBecs. Dave helped stuff her car with toys, insisting she take more and more. In the end, Dave donated over 250 toys. Dave insists that donating the rest of JennyBecs’ toys has been the best part of his COVID-19 experience, for he keeps thinking of “the kids who are smiling out there who may not have smiled.” He has expressed his love for PRESENT NOW’s mission, in bringing joy and happiness to children in need. He wants the children in domestic violence shelters to know that “they are worthy.” |
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It is unsurprising that Dave is a dedicated father of three. He says he raised his children to always perform their best, because “you never know whose life you’re going to change for the better.” The PRESENT NOW team is so grateful to Dave for practicing what he preaches, as he changes our sheltered children’s lives for the better. Thank you Dave, for the love you have brought into JennyBecs the past six years, and all the joy you have created now.