Sensory Tool House, LLC — Local services in Lacey

Love this place, went in for the first time today. Friendly, warm staff, delightful products and mission, I got some fidgets and free stickers, and will be going back for more on a day when I have more time (it's a small store but I spent over an hour). I love the try before you buy aspect! I was taught for years as a kid not to touch any products in a store unless I was planning to buy, so it was a little awkward to adjust to, but everyone was welcoming. Definitely mostly aimed towards parents and their younger children, but there's stuff there that I'd recommend to anyone, especially neurodivergent individuals. I was recently diagnosed with autism and have been attempting to pay more attention to how much I usually push down feelings of anxiety/being overwhelmed by light and noise and people, and letting myself feel that and leave if it's too much instead. I laid down alone in the sensory room for 20 minutes, it was very peaceful and quiet. I've rarely felt so calm, especially in a public space.

One downside of the try before you buy/aimed towards kids aspect was that many of the demo toys were very well-used. Similar to other places meant for kids, the Hands-On Children's museum in Olympia for example; although their stuff is usually very well-cleaned it does have the same smell. It's easy to tell that what's actually in the box is going to be clean and higher quality, but my hands felt rather dirty after playing with/touching things for a while. A few of the fidgets were more noticeably grimy to the point I didn't want to touch them. That's to be expected with stickier/squishy fidgets of course, especially over time. I found it informational, this is how well your item will last/ end up looking and feeling after you use it for a while. Giving advice feels rude, I'm probably not in the position to tell them what to do, but I already love this place so much, it deserves more. Maybe add a hand sanitizer spot on the wall, encourage guests to sanitize before & after handling things, as they come in and as they leave

The sensory toy/ "sand" tray made me laugh, it was very fun to run my hands through... but it was put right next to the sensory room entrance! Taking off your shoes before going in is a rule I 100% agree with (maybe add a rack for people's shoes?), but walking on scattered grains of rice in socks is the opposite of a positive sensory experience. Sweeping it up constantly is one (tiring) option, but maybe just position it somewhere that people have shoes on.

Deserves 5/5 stars for the passion and care put into it, but I can envision an even better version, cleaner & more aesthetically pleasing, perhaps made similar to a bookstore or library. 100% worth going to. I can forsee many afternoons with half an hour to decompress in the sensory room

Cutters Point is also right next door, best coffee shop, 6/5 stars for Sensory Tool House...

I was really looking forward to visiting this store. I’ve lived here for a few years while being stationed at JBLM and just last night realized it was here. I visited today and unfortunately left feeling disappointed. The store itself has great merchandise, a very niche selection of items. Some are priced higher than what I can find on Amazon but I have no problem paying a few extra dollars to shop local and support a small business. I entered the store after the first group of customers and didn’t see an employee. I noticed she was at the back of the store behind the register. Another small group of customers entered after me. The employee walked past me to greet one group of customers, then addressed the second group. I browsed the store for a few minutes and the employee walked past me several times, not once addressing me. I did have specific questions about what I was looking for and found some items I wanted to buy but after being ignored multiple times I decided I would not be making a purchase. I was the only person of color in the store and it is disheartening to feel like that may have been the reason I was never addressed. I hope this wasn’t the case but I can’t think of any other reason why I was singled out. I have customer service experience myself working at a small business. Interacting with customers and making them feel welcomed was always a priority. The shop itself is clean and organized with an awesome selection of products. However it would be beneficial for the employees to brush up on their customer service skills and welcome the diverse community into their business. This is the first time I’ve had an experience like this. I hope it is not the norm at this store and this doesn’t continue to...

Yeah so, I’ve never felt so judged and ostracized going into a store until I went here. I’m a 28 year old female who has diagnosed ADHD and Autism. I need fidget toys and sensory things to help me focus and remain calm. I got recommended to go here by my therapist. I came in and not one employee greeted me. No one offered to help me or if I was looking for anything specifically. Every employee kept looking at me as if I was in a place I shouldn’t be and focused only on the kids there - and there was plenty of employees just standing around talking and also blocking products that I couldn’t see. I was so excited to go here and I felt so judged and unwelcome. The only words I got from employees was “have a good day” as I left. Super bad experience and sent me into a massive panic attack once I got back in the car. More than likely will not be...