Well, we're back on Moon Base and our journey to the mountains and the sea in the land of dragons is sadly over.
North Wales is uniquely beautiful and our spiritual home as we spent a fantastic three years there studying and working in our early twenties. We fell in love with the place.
We've visited North Wales many times since and I always nip into the occasional discount store in case ancient toys linger still as I did in Borth a few years back. I look out for these places wherever I am in the world. These aren't vintage toy shops but rather stores selling ancient fancy goods, hardware and toys for whatever reason.
Well, this trip's find was Bargains Galore in the castled city of Caernarfon. This old budget dead stock shop was stuffed with rack and boxed toys from the late 80's and 90's I would guess. Alas, the Missus was on a mission to explore the world-class castle walls so I didn't get long at all before having to leave. If you are in the area it might be worth rummaging and delving to see what's there among the dust, including a few dark corners and alcoves I noticed.
What I did see were: a boxed Barbie Make-up head, window boxed Action Man type cheapo figures [1990's I would say], very large bagged plastic Knights armour set with header, Superted boxed sets of some sort [Superted is a Welsh cartoon character], rack toy Hong Kong brush and dustpan sets, marble rollercoaster boxed plastic toy, plastic toy guns and rifles and a rack of carded rack toys like a small child's American Policeman and motorbike set on bubble card.
It amazes me that shops full of old dead stock like this still exist but I'm always thrilled to find them. I didn't see anything that took my fancy but as I said I could have done with a lot more time.
Let us know if you go in and find anything!
There were some other vintage toys in the charity shops we went in, which I'll describe later.
With our stay in Gwynedd sadly over we drove home the hundred plus miles being entertained by the Fantastic Four on Power Records courtesy of Kid.
I shall report back on this later too as our dog is arriving now from the dog-sitter! Woof!
Thanks for your report Woodsy, that Bargains Galore looks really inviting in the piccy, with your mention of "dark corners and alcoves" even more so!
ReplyDeleteCheers Arto. Yes, I needed more time but we were heading for Anglesey as well so we were pushed for time. I remember a shop like this in Rethymnon in Crete back in the early 90's. Now there I lingered and bought stacks of old toys! Getting them home was the problem!
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