Shop geared towards neurodivergent community opens in Idaho Falls – East Idaho News

From left, Jonny Willmore and McKenzie Willmore pose for a photo outside the Wandermind shop in downtown Idaho Falls. | Cody Roberts, EastIdahoNews.com

IDAHO FALLS — Wandermind, a retail shop and community space that caters to neurodivergent individuals, is holding its grand opening downtown this Saturday.

Wandermind co-owners McKenzie Willmore and Jonny Willmore told EastIdahoNews.com that the shop is full of tools, puzzles, hobbies, skill toys, games and other resources that those diagnosed with things like ADHD or autism can find helpful or rewarding.

The idea of the store came from McKenzie finding out she had ADHD several years ago, after she had her daughter. She said changes in her life made it so all the systems she had in place to help her stay regulated and perform went out the window. As she did research on ADHD, she said it was a moment of self-discovery for her.

“I was thinking — wouldn’t it be cool if there was a place that had all these tools and resources for people who find themselves in these kinds of situations and have a place where you can totally be yourself, find things that are exciting to you or helpful to you, and also be able to meet people in your community that are in that same group?” McKenzie said.

As she hyperfocused on opening a store, McKenzie said she discovered a path to make her idea come to life. They’ve stayed on the path, and now the shop is set to open downtown across from the Civitan Plaza.

McKenzie said her favorite items in the shop are notebooks and hobby supplies. Jonny said his favorite parts are the skill toys, particularly the fingerboards and fingerboard skate park, as he owns the fingerboard company Tsunami Decks.

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“People with neurodivergence, they love stimulation and hits of dopamine,” Jonny said. “That’s where fingerboarding, kendamas, yo-yos come in because people who have this neurodivergency, they will have a better gratification from the dopamine hits with these kinds of skill toys because it is a little bit more delayed.”

“With hobbies like kendamas or fingerboarding, it’s perfect for somebody to stimulate their senses and satisfy those needs,” Jonny said.

McKenzie said the shop also has a community space where people can get together and work with LEGOs, puzzles, Magna-Tiles and other items to relax and have fun.

“We have a beautiful mural coming along in there too that is going to change that space and make it welcoming and comfortable,” she said.

The shop also has a sensory regulation room — a dark, controlled environment used to help individuals manage overstimulation, reduce anxiety and improve focus. It has a hanging pod, a blackout tent, galaxy lights and a bubble lamp.

“It’s dark, it’s quiet,” McKenzie said. “It’s so cozy. We’ve almost fallen asleep in there.”

Wandermind will be holding its grand opening celebration on Saturday, May 2, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. A sensory-friendly celebration will also be held on Sunday, May 3, at 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Its address is 549 Park Ave, Idaho Falls.

“Creating safe spaces is something that we’re really passionate about, and I think it’s exciting to be able to do it on this scale and share it with the larger community,” McKenzie said.