Ravenna – For about a year and a half, Ronn Gehring has been following his passion in Ravenna. But it hasn’t always been that way. His interest in collectible toys began with Star Wars and GI Joe figures in the 80’s. And while collectible toys have always been a hobby, he didn’t consider pursuing it as a career until recently. His path back to his passion took considerable patience and time to map out.
A graduate of BGSU, he received a law degree from the University of Akron. Gehring spent several years at the Federal Court in Youngstown before moving to a private practice at a law firm in Cleveland. After several high-pressure years, he was, “burnt out and miserable. I wanted to do something I had a passion for.” Eventually, he and his wife, Stacey, opened the Rush Hour Grill in Twinsburg. Looking back, he considers it “a wonderful first foray into the business world.”
Admittedly, owning a sports bar is all consuming, working until the early morning. So after three successful years, they sold the business to regain a better work-life balance. Gehring went back to law, working in estate planning and business law, trying to determine if another angle of his chosen field might reignite his passion. On advice from a friend in the field, Gehring passed the proper tests to achieve licensure as an investment broker, a field he pursued for several more years. “I walked away from money several times in order to do what makes me happy. That’s when the opportunity presented itself to purchase a vintage toy store. He admitted, “I wasn’t miserable. I just had the opportunity to do something I always wanted to do.”
He recalled discussing the availability of the store with his wife. He was shocked when she told him, ‘I’m surprised you haven’t approached him to buy it yet.’ “She was ultra-supportive” Gehring marveled. “She knew where my passion was. She told me, ‘I’ll support you as a person, and as a wife, but I won’t work at the store.’” Understandable, since the couple and their two children Harper (6), and Hayden (3), live in Streetsboro; his wife, Stacey works at Ohio Savings Bank in Cleveland.
Together, they’ve created a schedule that works for their family. While his wife works from 8 am until 4 pm, Ronn gets the kids up and to the sitters or school in time to open his shop. He’s home soon after closing the shop at 6pm, giving them plenty of time together. “I have more time with my family than I’ve had in the past — it’s a pretty good balance,” he concluded.
“I had a six-figure job in Cleveland, and I left it to run a restaurant. I was okay to leave the money to follow my passion. People are scared to leave a steady income and paycheck. I get that. But the rewards of owning my own business trump that.” While he admitted that he made the decision to purchase the toy store in about four days, the decision to make the first big change and start the restaurant took a lot longer. “It was a long and arduous process,” he noted. He advises others who are contemplating a major career shift to “make sure you know what you want and what you’re getting into.”
Not surprisingly, the former estate planner advises others “to plan — not just to know what they’re doing, but to understand the ramifications and the true cost of owning a business.” But he quickly added the importance of having a good support system in place, which has given him the space to pursue his passion.
“I’m surprised how well it’s gone the first year.” So well in fact, he’s considering expanding the shop. For now, his daughters enjoy coming to the store. “They like talking to customers and are fascinated with the collection of blind package toys,” the proud father beams. Perhaps a passion for toys will be a family affair. Stop back in a few years to see.
Your Toy Connection can be found at 245 West Main Street in Ravenna and online at YourToyConnection.com.
