Once Upon A Child was founded in 1985 by University of Wisconsin-Stout grads Dennis and Lynn Blum.

Like parents everywhere, Mrs. Blum knew how expensive it was to raise children—she had three growing boys herself.  She understood the frustration of investing hard-earned money in children’s toys, clothing and equipment only to see them outgrown before kids had a chance to wear them out!  Lynn looked around one day at the piles of children’s items around her and thought, “Wouldn’t it be great if there were some way to recycle all this kids stuff?”

With only a few dollars in her pocket and help from her husband Dennis, Lynn transformed her dream into reality. She opened her first store in Perrysburg, Ohio in 1985.