Plush and Toys at Toy Stores

Whether New or Classic, Toys Are Selling

By June Allan Corrigan

It’s not unusual for new parents to suddenly begin remembering all the toys they used to enjoy playing with as a child. Which explains the ongoing popularity of classic toys – items like Hot Wheels, Barbie, and long-established board games – or as Stephanie Forgie , owner of Toys N More in Reno, Nev., noted, “Anything that has served the test of time tends to do very well for us as parents try to bring a sense of their childhood to their own offspring.”

Classics aside, the current best-seller at Toys N More are fidget toys. Forgie chalked it up to their affordability and the fact that kids just love getting the latest sensory gadget and trading them with their friends. Interestingly, Tangle – the twisty, fidgety art toy that has been around for 40 years – is finding a new audience inside the 8,000-square-foot store . “Tangle is circling around to the younger generation,” explained

Forgie, which would seem to indicate there is room for a little bit of nostalgia even amid the hottest trend.

Squishmallows and the more food-centric Squishables rank among the top-selling plush at Toys N More, although Ty products continue to hold their own. “The original Beanie Babies are making their way back around and I can’t keep Beanie Boos in stock,” said Forgie, whose customer service philosophy centers around the idea of having fun. To achieve that, Toys N More always has plenty of samples on the floor. It also stays on top of current plush and toy trends via word of mouth and the latest news from vendors. For

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