Because Blake is of the philosophy that every little boy needs a red ball to play with, and thus wanted to put one in Garrett's Easter basket, we decided that Saturday would be as good a day as any to go check out this toy store mecca. And let me tell you: we were not disappointed.
Not only did we find the perfect red rubber ball, which made Garrett burst into a grin every time we bounced it for him,
we found a treasure trove of classic children's toys. Train sets, building blocks, dolls galore - you name it, they probably have it - and all for surprisingly reasonable prices.
Of course, if you want to spend a small fortune, you can. Like these dinosaur-sized plush creatures sprinkling the entryway could be yours for a mere $15,000:
What particularly impressed me about the store was how incredibly friendly every single employee was. It was very apparent that management went out of their way to hire naturally happy individuals who love children and toys. (They probably also go the extra mile to keep their employees happy by giving them decent pay and benefits.) Stationed throughout the store were employees demonstrating toys by getting kids to play with them. Some were dressed in full costume to more authentically illustrate a particular item, such as the lady in the doll department wearing a vintage nurse's outfit to show a happy gaggle of little girls how they'd take care of a baby doll from the Newborn Nursery line.
The toy soldier stationed out front, who we visited on our way out, was my favorite:
Nicest guy you'll ever meet on the streets of New York City. Even though the picture above would make you think otherwise, Garrett was actually quite fond of the fellow...or at least of the neat toys he was holding. (After we took care of his hunger needs and let him scream and cry out his sleepiness during our walk down 5th Avenue, he turned back into the happy boy we know and love.)So if you're ever in the mood to grow young and be a kid again, if only for a few hours, this is a fantastic place to do it.
6 comments:
Looks like a blast! We could probably spend hours there!
We visited there when we were in NYC and loved it. "Alice in Wonderland" read a story and the girls were enthralled. It is such a fun and happy place. We were there for a long time, and would happily go there again.
What a fun place!!
Ok, that looks like so much fun for everyone! When we come to NY (who knows when...but sometime) we'll have to make a stop!
Gee, only $15,000? I suppose it doesn't come with a house that has rooms big enough for them??
Guhgh. I can't help it. I want one of those dragons. I even seriously asked myself if, had I a spare $15,000 to spend, I would spend it on one of them.
The answer, reluctantly, was no. But maybe for $500. (Which is a lot considering my student-sized budget.)
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