The grandmother-of-10 making £100’s from her humble shop… and how you can follow in her footsteps: Jane Hastings tells MOLLY CLAYTON how she went from selling shoes to making ‘insane’ money

When Jane Hastings opened her toy store on the outskirts of Liverpool 15 years ago, she never imagined she would one day become “TikTok famous”.

Starting with just £100 worth of stock, the grandmother of ten says she earned that sum back in ‘minutes’ – creating queues of people around the block.

Living proof that there are no limits to influence, Merseyside grandmother Jane Hastings, 54, has become one of TikTok’s most unlikely success stories.

The toy store owner behind the @toystoystoys.uk account has built a loyal following of more than 40,000 fans thanks to his enthusiastic, fast-paced toy shows and personality that viewers can’t get enough of.

Curfew curiosity has now turned his independent store into a social media phenomenon.

Since opening TikTok Shop less than two years ago, Jane told the Daily Mail she has sold more than 162,000 items through the platform and made what she calls ‘crazy’ money.

His store, Toys Toys Toys on Crosby Road in Waterloo, has become a destination in itself, with customers traveling from far and wide to see the viral toy salesman in action.

Mum-of-two Jane now uploads content every day, showcasing interactive toys, testing the latest gadgets, and hosting live streams where viewers can shop products in just seconds.

He is so popular that he even built a studio inside his shop where he can shoot movies.

‘It went ballistic,’ he said. ‘I used to swipe TikTok during Covid and then I started to see TikTok Shop becoming a thing. So I created one for Toys Toys Toys.’

But at first, Jane had no intention of appearing on camera.

A local TikTok creator who passed by the store regularly helped her set up her account, and Jane initially hired someone else to host the videos.

‘But it never worked,’ he told me. ‘I thought, look at me, I don’t look like an influencer. I thought it wouldn’t work because my accent was too strong. ‘I hated having my picture taken, so it was very scary going there.’

Finally he decided to try it.

‘It wasn’t working, so one day I thought, well, I’ll do it myself,’ he said. ‘So I pressed continue and went live.’

And this decision changed everything. Audiences quickly warmed to Jane’s distinctive, energetic style and soon orders started pouring in.

At first, Jane had no intention of appearing on camera. But audiences quickly warmed to his unique, energetic style, and soon orders started pouring in.

‘I created this huge community,’ he said. ‘I’ve placed 8,000 orders alone since Thursday.’

The surge has completely transformed what is normally one of the quietest times of the year for retailers.

“February is usually the worst month of the year,” Jane explained. ‘But it’s been the busiest month of my life since I’ve been working in retail for twenty years.

‘I’d be lucky if I could get someone in the door in February, before TikTok. Now I’ve had a February that has blown away all my Christmas sales.’

Online success has also increased the store’s real-life popularity. Jane says fans travel long distances to visit.

‘I have queues around the block now,’ he said. ‘People came from Ireland, Manchester, many even have a hotel for the night. They come to the store, but they also come to take photos with me.

‘The footsteps have tripled. I was the only one in this shop before. Now we have six people working here every day.’

Jane says the TikTok store model makes it incredibly easy for viewers to buy items instantly while watching her videos.

Among the store’s most popular products is NeeDoh, the squishy sensory toy that has become popular online

While Jane once struggled to stand out at industry trade shows, she says companies now actively pursue her to promote their products

‘Two clicks is all it takes for someone to buy a product,’ he explained.

Essentially, TikTok Live and Shop allows creators and brands to sell products directly on-air, creating an interactive, QVC-style experience.

Sellers then tag products in the TikTok Shop in real time, allowing viewers to instantly tap, add to cart, and purchase without leaving the app.

This simple system has helped turn product launches into big sales moments, especially when Jane hosts live events such as her popular ‘What’s in the Box’ broadcasts.

During these broadcasts, he opens mysterious toy packages in front of the camera and offers the contents for sale.

Jane told me that among the store’s most popular products is NeeDoh, the squishy sensory toy that has become popular online. However, he said that his best-selling toy overall is the Real FX Disney Sewing Doll.

The success also changed the way major toy brands viewed the store. While Jane once struggled to attract attention at industry trade shows, she says companies now actively pursue her to promote their products.

‘They used to frown at me at toy fairs,’ he said. ‘Now they’re chasing me around, it’s great. I can’t believe I was nominated and made it onto any of the lists. ‘I was told that the Toy of the Year awards would create a new category for content creators, just because of me.’

Major names including Sylvanian Families and Golden Bear Toys are now approaching him to help launch their newest releases.

‘All the main brands want me to launch their products now,’ he said. ‘I have more stock than this [retail giant] B&M. And I have two launches this week alone.’

Despite rapid growth, Jane’s journey began in much more humble circumstances.

Fifteen years ago he was running a shoe store and decided to sell a small selection of toys in one corner.

‘I started with £100 worth of toys,’ he said. ‘The toys went better than the shoes, so when the corner shop came up for rent I thought, I’ll sort this out.’

He laughs at how much things have changed today.

His growing business is very much a family affair. Jane’s children and stepchildren help out in the shop, while her ten grandchildren, aged between seven and 14, are among her biggest supporters.

‘They’re so proud,’ he said. ‘Kids told me their friends were talking about me at school. They love it.’

The success also allowed the family to spend more time together.

‘We’re going on holiday a little more now; We’re going to Easter.’

Even local celebrities have become regular customers.

‘We’re close to where many Liverpool players live,’ said Jane. ‘So we had Darwin Nunez, Luis Diaz, all of them. They come in and we close the shop for them. They love it.’

But despite her business success, Jane says the moments she cherishes most are the ones where she can give something back. Last Christmas he organized a huge fundraiser for families struggling over the festive period.

He said: ‘I had to rent the local village house and fill it with toys for the council to come and take away to families who couldn’t afford gifts. ‘I was sent a lot of free stuff, so I gave it all away.’

This gesture was so appreciated that the local mayor personally visited the store to thank him.

‘I caught the Mayor on my TikTok livestream and we thanked everyone,’ he said. ‘I was crying with my eyes open. I don’t do this for the money, I do it for this. All the people and children left without it.’

Jane says she has no plans to slow down for now. ‘I will never work; I am a workaholic. I don’t like sitting at home. I am in the shop every day from 5 am to 11 pm.

‘My back is gone and I don’t know where to go with it but I love it.’

So what’s his biggest dream? ‘It’s a great, big shop,’ he said. ‘The biggest.’

And if TikTok continues to work its magic, that dream might not be too far off.