In an effort to support small businesses across the country, American Express is asking consumers to shop local this month in honor of Small Business Saturday  on Nov. 26. And just in time for the holiday season, buyers can find shelves full of trendy and unique toys, games and trinkets at  Tom’s Toys  in Beverly Hills, a popular destination for residents and visitors alike.  As an independently owned small business, the North Beverly Drive location boasts staff who “will guide you to find exactly what you need,” said Steve Meynig, the shop’s manager since it opened in the summer of 1998. “Our employees speak Spanish, Farsi and some French.”  With the store entering its 14th holiday season in Beverly Hills, Meynig said he expects to see some familiar faces.  “Certainly one advantage of being a local business is that we get a lot of repeat business,” he said. “People have grown up with the store and while they may have grown out of playing with toys, they will still come back or refer their friends to the store.”  Unlike Betty Crocker, there was actually a Tom. Tom Williams was the proprietor of the first Tom’s Toys located in San Luis Obispo. Ted Frankel purchased that shop from Williams in 1986 and went on to open stores in four other cities. Aside from the San Luis Obispo and Beverly Hills shops, there are Tom’s Toys in Montrose and Redlands that both opened in 1996, and also a store in Santa Maria, which opened in 2009.  Why have a location in Beverly Hills? Frankel grew up in Westwood and had a paper route through Beverly Hills as a kid. The landlord made a very attractive lease arrangement to encourage Frankel to open a shop here, Meynig said.  Tom’s Toys is an entertaining place for people of all ages. Families stroll down Beverly Drive, have dinner, stop at the store and have a good time. Fair warning to parents: come stocked with quarters. Once the mainstays of old-school stores, there’s a gum ball dispenser and a mini car ride machine.  On a recent Sunday morning, Mark and Kelly Shulman were at Tom’s Toys with their three children: Jack, 11, and Ryan, 8, who attend El Rodeo School, and preschooler Ava, who is almost 5. “I love the big Lego sets,” Ryan said while Eva pleaded to ride the quarter-powered mini car. Recently relocating to Beverly Hills from Beverlywood, the Shulmans like to support local businesses, adding that they can walk to Tom’s Toys from their home. Kelly Shulman, a former first-grade teacher, said she appreciates that the store stocks alternatives to electronic and plastic toys. If you worry about giving your little ones plastic products that could contain chemical phthalates, Tom’s Toys offers a variety of wood toys. For the eco-conscious buyer, the shop carries the “Green Toys” line, which is made from recycled plastic.  Trying to keep your purchase simple? Pick up a set of jacks. In a hurry to grab a gift for a birthday party? Store employees will wrap the item for free. And what does Meynig think about the efforts to recognize small businesses this month? “We honor American Express,” he said. “As a part of the Small Business Saturday campaign, we encourage people to make purchases with their card.” Tom’s Toys is located at 437 N. Beverly Drive. Store hours are Mon-Sat: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Sun: 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Call 310-247-9822 for more information. Parking is available at the city lot at 345 N. Beverly Drive. Metered street parking is also available. Be sure to follow Beverly Hills Patch on  Twitter  and “Like” us on  Facebook . Excerpt from: Tom’s Toys Is the Spot for Holiday Shopping