This is the only dedicated toy store in town. With the retail space they have, I think they could improve and carry more inventory. Maybe it was the end of summer and they were low, I don’t know. I love to support small, local businesses, but I couldn’t live in Tahoe City if this was our only toy store. I like many of the brands they carry — Green Toys, Battat, LEGO, etc — but there wasn’t much selection and they also sell a lot of cheap Made in China plastic crap that breaks after first play… like the build-it-yourself tractor my son had to have. I’m not even sure if that made it home from our vacation in Tahoe. Serious waste of money. We got a bunch of Tahoe children’s picture books, so I loved finding those here. I was bummed they didn’t have the Peter Spain one, though. In a pinch, this is a fun stop for the kids or maybe a gift, but it’s not going to blow your socks off. I’d love to see that change before the next time we’re in town.
Meredith P.
Place rating: 5 Santa Cruz, CA
I was in Tahoe for Thanksgiving and came here on the dreaded«Black Friday.» Dum dum dum. How nice to avoid the crowds and just shop locally. I didn’t need one day only«deals» on super marked-up items to find good deals. I did plenty of birthday and Christmas shopping right here. If you adore the Toby the Tahoe Bear line like I do, this is your place. They had the hardcover Toby book for only $ 8.99. I bought one for my girlfriend’s 2 year old daughter who has yet to discover the awesomeness of Toby. She’ll be getting it for Christmas. I also went birthday shopping for one of the little boys who I know loves Toby and whose birthday happened to be that day. He and his older brother love the Toby story and look for him whenever they visit Tahoe. Since they already own the book, I was delighted to discover other Toby items. This birthday boy is obsessed with puzzles. He can sit in front of a puzzle for 30 min without moving, which is unheard of for a 2(now 3) year old. He’s also all about being a big boy and doing things«all by myself,» since he’s 3 now. What did they have? A Toby puzzle(I believe it was only $ 8.99) and a big boy Toby mug(I think it was either 11 or 12.99). Score!
Aaron S.
Place rating: 4 El Dorado Hills, CA
Great toy/game shop in Tahoe City.
Robert V.
Place rating: 5 Auburn, CA
I have only been to this store once, but will surely go again. Nicely arranged, well made toys and games, stuffed animals, puppets, books, stickers, puzzles. Many choices sure to please any child or adult. I was pleased to see they mostly offered nice quality toys, but also found a nice selection of small gifts that would not break the bank if you wanted to get something small for everyone on the trip. I found the game selection to be especially well chosen. The lady working the desk, was not able to offer advice about games, but was vert sweet and did not rush me even though i was shopping near closing time, and then my whole family found me and came in… very sweet place!