Nature and Nurture
NEARBY
By Lauren m. Rush
Imelda McCain was a nurse for 15 years, but she always thought about opening her own business. The birth of her 7 year-old son, Lucas, however, has had a tremendous influence on the direction of that business. “When Lucas was born, everything changed,” she say. “I look at the world differently, and I want Lucas to be acquainted with and aware of the global community that he lives in, not just his local culture and surrounding neighborhood.
From that maternal desire, the concept for Playing Mantis, McCain store in Nyack, began to take shape. With support from her husband, Dr. Donald A. McCain, a surgical oncologist in Hackensck, N.J., Imelda began to make her vision a reality. The store which opened in September 2006, features “toys and craft made by hand from around the world inspired by children and mother-nature. Each toy, each craft, tells a story of a heritage, of a culture, and of a passion with artistic and humane expression. Read more
