Well its Sunday morning at Moonbase.
When I was a nipper in the Sixties there weren't any shops open on Sunday. Church was the thing. The peeling of bells spelt the start of a shopless day.
Today if I went into Wakefield town centre I would find loads of shops open on a Sunday. Toys can be bought in vast quantities.
When I was a kid toys could be freely purchased from Monday to Saturday.
The quantity and size of those toys demanded different outlets.
Listing the different outlets around when I was a kid would look something like this:
- Large and branded toys - established toy shops usually in the town centre
- Unbranded toys - Newsagents and small general stores
- Small 'penny' toys - sweet shops and Newsagents
- Charms and miniatures - lucky bags, vending machines
As well these were less direct methods like mail order catalogues and there were also outlets which didn't necessarily focus on toys:
- model shops
- fancy goods shops
- department stores
- joke shops
- garages
- the cash and carry warehouse where my Dad worked
There are probably lots more places where you could get toys as a kid. Where did you get yours from?
Like you, large toy shops, but also a toy stall on the town market, and on holidays, a range of seaside shops, including a newsagent's where I bought my first SWORD toys. The newsagents is still there, (I now live in a neighbouring town) and brings back many happy memories.
ReplyDeleteWhich SWORD toys did you get first Andy? It must have a been a good newsagents.
DeleteTask force 1-3, and yes it was!
ReplyDeleteWow, have you still got them Andy?
DeleteGoin' downtown bybus usually meant stops at The Boston Store, Gimbels, Woolworth;s and W.T. Grants 5-&10 cent stores. Right across the street from our house was a small supermarket called Roundy's in which my mom got several Deluxe Reading playsets. A Rexall Drug store was kitty-corner across the street from the house. Then there was Sears and Monkey Wards (both in-store and catalog. Also catalog orders fro Spiegel and J.C Penney. Lots of sources, lots of toys, and lots of memories. Is it any wonder I love toys? :-)
ReplyDeleteWow, that's a load of toy stores Ed! Toy heaven by the sounds of it! Was that LA?
DeleteMilwaukee - the '50s were toy nirvana in any large city!
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