Shelves of plush stuffed animals sit shoulder to shoulder awaiting to be hugged. Miniature dogs, cats, fish and dinosaurs peer out from the shelf looking for a new tiny friend. Hobby horses are piled in a box and ready to gallop. Play-Doh is still solid in the container, puzzles are still in pieces and Legos aren’t yet scattered on the floor.
Playtime hasn’t begun, but the memories come rushing back once you step inside Fun Buy the Pound Toy Store on Beaver Street in Sewickley.
The shop invites everyone to be a kid again — young and old.
“We have things that make people smile … and remember when they were growing up,” said owner Brenda Fisk. “We sell time-tested toys that help create and foster the imagination. There aren’t screen time toys in this store.”
Generations of families have shopped there, Fisk said of the store that’s been a staple in the neighborhood for nearly two decades.
Some customers come back after they are married and bring their children. Fisk said they will tell their kids that they used to shop at the store for toys.
Jennifer Young of Sewickley was shopping on Dec. 3.
“This store is great because it’s local and it’s convenient,” Young said. “It’s also important to support local businesses.”
As a mom of five whose children all worked in the store at one time, and a grandmother of seven, Fisk said she is inspired by toys her children played with and those her grandchildren like. Many of those toys have found their way into the shop. Fisk hand-selects each item and gets ideas by attending the toy trade show in New York City and staying connected to the American Small Toys Association. She also works with sales representatives who bring potential inventory into her store.
Nearly every space is filled with something fun. Fisk said the store is like the puzzle game Tetris because when she gets a new item she has to figure out where it will fit.
In the back room, there are stacks of puzzles of all sizes, including a family one that has small, medium and large pieces so that all ages can help build it, Fisk said. Board games and a small clothing boutique are nearby.
The shop is divided into various sections including crafts, a baby area and a science spot. There is a wall of boxes of groceries and food items — including sushi — for playing make-believe.
The store carries brands such as Playmobil, Melissa and Doug, Gund, Lego, Masterpiece Puzzles, Calico Critters and TY. There are various puppets, miniature cars and Rubik’s cubes, shelves of miniature animals such as dinosaurs, pigs, fish, dogs and cats.
Just in time for the holidays are snowball-making gadgets, ugly sweater stickers and even a paint-your-own nutcracker kit.
Fisk knows where everything is and can tell you something about each toy. Baically, if you can think of it, Fisk has it.
While the original concept has changed — the inaugural idea was to make something out of loose Lego or K’Nex pieces and then purchase what you created by the weight, hence, the Fun Buy The Pound moniker. Over the years, customers wanted to purchase these building sets with all the pieces in one box, Fisk said. The building toys continue to be popular because parents recall the interlocking blocks and pieces from their own childhoods and also stepping on a few pieces on the floors of their homes.
“As a business owner, it is important to listen to customers and you have to constantly be re-inventing yourself,” Fisk said. “We are always looking for new ways to stay relevant. Retail shopping is changing with a lot of online shopping, but we like to think of this store as an experience.”
Fisk said there really isn’t a toy of the year because every child is different, though one of the hottest brands right now is Ms. Rachel merchandise — Ms. Rachel is an educator who creates research-based videos for toddlers with songs, games and nursery rhymes.
The shop is busy year-round but the holiday season is good for business with lots of people shopping for last-minute gifts, Fisk said. Everyone is happy when they come into the store, Fisk said, because what’s not to like about toys?
“There is always something going on here,” Fisk said of Sewickley. “And the community supports every event. The businesses support each other, too. It’s a fun place to be.”
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Fun Buy The Pound Toy Store is located at 406 Beaver St., Sewickley. Hours are 1 to 5 p.m. Monday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday and 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday. There will be additional holiday shopping hours.
The store is currently accepting donations of new, unwrapped toys for Toys for Tots.