The Doll Hospital and Toy Soldier Shop of Berkley has gone digital, with an e-commerce site that went up last December. Now, its owner, Jack Parish, is extending the long arm of his new Internet operation – Toy-Shoppe.com – to Wayne State alumni to help raise money to Support Our University Libraries (SOUL).

Through the SOUL program, alumni, donors and friends of the university will be able to use the Wayne State ID number – LIB001 – every time they purchase toys at Toy-Shoppe.com. Every month, Wayne State will receive a check for 10 to 12 percent of each purchase made by our supporters. Participation in the program costs nothing.

The Doll Hospital and Toy Soldier Shop is a third-generation, family business, founded in 1948 by Parish’s mother, Kay Parish, who at 88 is still involved in the business, as is her husband, Roger, 87. In 1998, the store had sales of $3.5 million, but Parish’s vision calls for growing the business to $130 million in sales over the next five years. If that seems far-fetched, keep in mind that The Doll Hospital’s sales rose 18 percent last year, while toy behemoth Toys R Us Inc. saw sales fall 4 percent.

"SOUL is a win-win-win partnership," said Molly Brauer, director of development for the five WSU libraries. "Alumni and friends get hassle-free shopping for high-quality, non-violent, educational toys; our libraries get an ongoing source of revenue to support Wayne State’s role as a major research university; and by reaching out to Wayne Alumni, Parish can donate dollars he might otherwise have spent on advertising."