When Sunita started her life in The Gambia, she first searched for work opportunities in banking and finance, the field she was experienced in. But it soon turned out that her job as a banker would not suit her family life as the workdays were too long to be able to devote as much time as she wished to her family. From there came the idea of opening a boutique gift shop, as there were a lack of such shops that were addressing the market at the time. Sunita grabbed the opportunity to address the market gap while also enabling her to spend more time with her loved ones.
Gifts R Us initially offered children’s toys for all age groups, greeting cards from the UK and unique gift items from India. Soon Sunita decided to extend her product range to include party accessories, decorations and jewelry as there was demand for such products. She has since started to work with a range of event managers and decorators to supply decorations and party accessories for their events.
As the product offering expanded and Gifts R Us’ reputation grew, in 2006, Gifts R Us moved to its current location, Standard Chartered House. With more space came the opportunity to expand the product range, which now comprises over 5,000 products.
Today, Gifts R Us is a one-stop shop for top-quality toys, party items and gifts, with a unique and incomparable variety offered in The Gambia.
After finding the perfect gift for your child, friend or family member, Sunita and her team will wrap the present, so you are ready to go without the hassle of finding gift-wrapping services elsewhere.
Over the years, Gifts R Us has developed a reputation for quality products and excellent customer service.
Popular since the beginning, greeting cards are still the shop’s bestsellers. With a range of variety, one can find a greeting card for any occasion.
One of the things Gifts R Us used to be known for is Dumbo, the pink elephant that children could ride in the shop whilst parents were shopping! Though not a ride anymore, Dumbo still sits in the shop to entertain its visitors and kids always have a great time in the shop browsing through endless shelves of toys and accessories for birthday parties, creative work, and education supplies.
What Sunita is most proud of today is that Gifts R Us has become an integral part of this segment of the retail sector in The Gambia. Its customers have supported them throughout, and she acknowledges that it is mainly because of them that Gifts R Us proudly reached this 25-year milestone. The business has also shown that it can stand the test of time during times like the Global Financial Crisis and even during the lockdowns of Covid-19.
But more than everything, Sunita is proud of the fact that the shop has never come in the way of her family life, and she is happy that it has, in fact, always felt like part of the family.
To commemorate this significant milestone, Gifts R Us celebrated its 25th anniversary on the 3rd of December 2022 through a full-day event which included excellent decoration—as befits for a gift shop, presentation of the memories from the early beginning of the shop till today, reception of loyal customers and members of the community, banquet and cutting of the cake.
The event was honoured by the British High Commissioner, the Honorary Consul of India and many influential members of the Indian community in The Gambia.
The celebration was the grand finale of the anniversary month, during which Sunita and her team were gifting loyal customers with special discounts and free gifts as a sign of appreciation and giving back to the community.
Make a stop at Gifts R Us and be amazed by the endless selection of festive décor, a wide range of toys and unique gifts for your loved ones. Open from Monday to Saturday, from 10 am to 7 pm; the Gifts R Us team will receive you with a warm welcome and guide you in finding an item that will become the best gift for that special someone.