KB Toys

[videogamer75]

I knew Systemax owned Tiger Direct, but for some reason I forgot about those 25 CompUSA stores re-opening.

[ameskmart1]

San Ysidro, CA
from http://www.flickr.com/photos/southerncalifornian/3155712656/

[TRJ22487]

I'm sad that this chain had to go. Had a lot of good childhood memories throughout the entire 90's at Toy Works and KB



Been doing some cleaning and came across this unopened box of Gameboy Printer Paper from 1998


In the past few weeks the Keene, NH location was converted to a Dollar Tree after being vacant for over two years

[gu4ever]

Originally posted by TRJ22487
I'm sad that this chain had to go. Had a lot of good childhood memories throughout the entire 90's at Toy Works and KB



Been doing some cleaning and came across this unopened box of Gameboy Printer Paper from 1998

Gameboy printer paper? Never used gameboy what was the paper used for?


In the past few weeks the Keene, NH location was converted to a Dollar Tree after being vacant for over two years

[TRJ22487]

Today I uploaded a string of Nickelodeon commercials from 1994
One was for Kay Bee Toys in a Kool-Aid/Nickelodeon Gak promotion




http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6iU0Q803gzU

[videogamer75]

That is awesome!! I remember Nick in the Afternoon, Hey Dude, and Nick Magazine. I had a Nick Magazine subscription for a long time...I bought the last issue at Acme back in November, too.

[TRJ22487]

2002-2007


2010


After being vacant for three years the Keene NH location is now a Dollar Tree.
Before 2002 it was a larger Toy Works with a CVS next door.

[NeverBeenToAnAmes]

Poor KB. Just could not stand the heat from the mighty and godlike TRU.

[d_fife]

2002-2007


2010


After being vacant for three years the Keene NH location is now a Dollar Tree.
Before 2002 it was a larger Toy Works with a CVS next door.

why didnt it become another toy store there, what will one do now to get toys there and why did they chose to close the Keene one in a round of closings when its the only store like that there.

[TRJ22487]

why didnt it become another toy store there, what will one do now to get toys there and why did they chose to close the Keene one in a round of closings when its the only store like that there.

It seems to me the Keene location really started to struggle post 9/11. It was a strong store before that. When the CVS turned into a Petco they expanded Petco and reduced the size of KB Toys. Once they reorganized the entire store and moved the videogame section from the middle to the store to the side I thought they were in trouble. When they announced they would stop selling videogames altogether, they were done.
There is the locally owned Toy City still in Keene. It used to be in the Center at Keene plaza.
Now it is next to Keene Cinemas in the former Sears.

[d_fife]

why didnt it become another toy store there, what will one do now to get toys there and why did they chose to close the Keene one in a round of closings when its the only store like that there.

It seems to me the Keene location really started to struggle post 9/11. It was a strong store before that. When the CVS turned into a Petco they expanded Petco and reduced the size of KB Toys. Once they reorganized the entire store and moved the videogame section from the middle to the store to the side I thought they were in trouble. When they announced they would stop selling videogames altogether, they were done.
There is the locally owned Toy City still in Keene. It used to be in the Center at Keene plaza.
Now it is next to Keene Cinemas in the former Sears.

is there a Toy City and whats it like?? AND back to TOy works, I noticed that when i went in the one in Keene in 2005 where they shrunk the store and WHY DID THEY???? KB toy works in Laconia near the Belknap mall did that and I could tell it was the end, it closed in early 2005 and lost business and I went in there zillions of times, it was 25 miles form my house. AGain why did they scale back the store. why did they? and did the Toy works branch have problems as a lot of them seemed to close

When did KB Toys start their Toy works branch? And when did Keene open?

[TRJ22487]

why didnt it become another toy store there, what will one do now to get toys there and why did they chose to close the Keene one in a round of closings when its the only store like that there.

It seems to me the Keene location really started to struggle post 9/11. It was a strong store before that. When the CVS turned into a Petco they expanded Petco and reduced the size of KB Toys. Once they reorganized the entire store and moved the videogame section from the middle to the store to the side I thought they were in trouble. When they announced they would stop selling videogames altogether, they were done.
There is the locally owned Toy City still in Keene. It used to be in the Center at Keene plaza.
Now it is next to Keene Cinemas in the former Sears.

is there a Toy City and whats it like?? AND back to TOy works, I noticed that when i went in the one in Keene in 2005 where they shrunk the store and WHY DID THEY???? KB toy works in Laconia near the Belknap mall did that and I could tell it was the end, it closed in early 2005 and lost business and I went in there zillions of times, it was 25 miles form my house. AGain why did they scale back the store. why did they? and did the Toy works branch have problems as a lot of them seemed to close

When did KB Toys start their Toy works branch? And when did Keene open?

If I had to estimate I'd say the Keene location opened in 1992. It was an Edward's Supermarket before that. It always had the original "THE TOY WORKS" on the front and side of the building up until the early 2000's. There also used to be a carnival with a ferris wheel in the parking lot every summer until about 1996. Why they scaled back around 2002, I don't know. I do know it happened at the same time that the CVS next door moved out for a Petco, maybe in that case the Petco needed to be bigger. But without doubt, once the store scaled back in size it was NEVER the same. Lost the charm it had. And then when they stopped selling videogames, GOODBYE. That store was my childhood favorite back in the early 90's. I used to bolt to the Genesis and SNES kiosks immediately to try out the newest games, and I could get stuck in the back with the toys for hours. Those days are just gone....
But without a doubt, of all the "Kay-Bee" stores, those original "THE TOY WORKS" stores were THE best.
No, it wasn't a trip to Toys R Us, but it was still great back then...

As for Toy City, they mostly sell models and building toys, they also have a large selection of Baby Cribs.
As far as I know the same guy has always owned it. He is always in every commercial. I've never had much of an interest in the store except for when it was in it's old location, back in 1998/1999 when the Pokemon Card craze hit.
I'm sure that's the best business that place ever got, and the owner embraced it fully having card tournaments and such


This is the current location in the former Sears. Moved here when Sears moved to the former Big K-Mart.

[d_fife]

why didnt it become another toy store there, what will one do now to get toys there and why did they chose to close the Keene one in a round of closings when its the only store like that there.

It seems to me the Keene location really started to struggle post 9/11. It was a strong store before that. When the CVS turned into a Petco they expanded Petco and reduced the size of KB Toys. Once they reorganized the entire store and moved the videogame section from the middle to the store to the side I thought they were in trouble. When they announced they would stop selling videogames altogether, they were done.
There is the locally owned Toy City still in Keene. It used to be in the Center at Keene plaza.
Now it is next to Keene Cinemas in the former Sears.

is there a Toy City and whats it like?? AND back to TOy works, I noticed that when i went in the one in Keene in 2005 where they shrunk the store and WHY DID THEY???? KB toy works in Laconia near the Belknap mall did that and I could tell it was the end, it closed in early 2005 and lost business and I went in there zillions of times, it was 25 miles form my house. AGain why did they scale back the store. why did they? and did the Toy works branch have problems as a lot of them seemed to close

When did KB Toys start their Toy works branch? And when did Keene open?

If I had to estimate I'd say the Keene location opened in 1992. It was an Edward's Supermarket before that. It always had the original "THE TOY WORKS" on the front and side of the building up until the early 2000's. Why they scaled back, I don't know. I do know it happened at the same time that the CVS next door moved out for a Petco, maybe in that case the Petco needed to be bigger. But without doubt, once the store scaled back in size it was NEVER the same. Lost the charm it had. And then when they stopped selling videogames, GOODBYE. That store was my childhood favorite back in the early 90's. I used to bolt to the Genesis and SNES kiosks immediately to try out the newest games, and I could get stuck in the back with the toys for hours. Those days are just gone....
But without a doubt, of all the "Kay-Bee" stores, those original "THE TOY WORKS" stores were THE best.
No, it wasn't a trip to Toys R Us, but it was still great back then...

As for Toy City, they mostly sell models and building toys, they also have a large selection of Baby Cribs.
As far as I know the same guy has always owned it. He is always in every commercial. I've never had much of an interest in the store except for when it was in it's old location, back in 1998/1999 when the Pokemon Card craze hit.
I'm sure that's the best business that place ever got, and the owner embraced it fully having card tournaments and such


This is the current location in the former Sears. Moved here when Sears moved to the former Big K-Mart.

that Toy works must have opened in the 1980s

and when did KB Toys start the Toy Works branch and can anyone remember when the one in Laconia / Belmont opened (it was near the Belknap mall) as when they announced its closing in Fall 2004, it said it had been there for 15 years, I Swear it was there longer than that.

[TRJ22487]

http://www.kbtoys.com/KB/comingsoon.html


Why is the URL coming soon?
I wonder how old the Toy Works in Winsted, Connecticut was.
It was all by itself in a tiny low roofed building on the side of the road, not in a plaza
no other stores near it. I think it closed around 1997-1998. That was my favorite Toy Works
It was a little down the road from the Ames. That store just seemed ancient, I always thought it would be much older than 1989

By the way I went to Toy City today for the first time since I was 12 back in 1999.
Sure enough the owner was in there and I said hello and told him I used to come in the old location everyday for Pokemon Cards and we just talked about how fast time flies. He looks just the same though
The store however is very impressive! They have a great collection of board games, legos, model kits, so yes Keene still does have a good toy store left for kids that don't want to go to Target/Walmart

[TRJ22487]

Super Nintendo Store Kiosk from Kay-Bee Toys

[C. Fontaine]

Super Nintendo Store Kiosk from Kay-Bee Toys

That is AWESOME!  I really wish I could find something like that on eBay or something!

[amesman]

Super Nintendo Store Kiosk from Kay-Bee Toys

That is AWESOME!  I really wish I could find something like that on eBay or something!

I used to have one.. It broke.. :(

[jmcnamara96]

Super Nintendo Store Kiosk from Kay-Bee Toys

That is AWESOME!  I really wish I could find something like that on eBay or something!

I used to have one.. It broke.. :(

Iwant that i have a Super Nintendo like that if it counts :)

[DJ*KB]

and when did KB Toys start the Toy Works branch and can anyone remember when the one in Laconia / Belmont opened (it was near the Belknap mall) as when they announced its closing in Fall 2004, it said it had been there for 15 years, I Swear it was there longer than that

The Belmont "Toyworks" later renamed "KB Toyworks" opened in 1988 (16 year run).  I started working there September 1996 as a seasonal associate.  January of 1997 I was promoted to Assistant Mgr later Sr Assistant Mgr and around 1999 Store Mgr through April 2002.  I left right before the store was downsized as I could see things were changing and KB's future did not look promising.  They basically added a back row of shelving and reduced the depth of the store.  I enjoyed working there and have lots of fond memories of KB and the people who worked there.

[d_fife]

and when did KB Toys start the Toy Works branch and can anyone remember when the one in Laconia / Belmont opened (it was near the Belknap mall) as when they announced its closing in Fall 2004, it said it had been there for 15 years, I Swear it was there longer than that

The Belmont "Toyworks" later renamed "KB Toyworks" opened in 1988 (16 year run).  I started working there September 1996 as a seasonal associate.  January of 1997 I was promoted to Assistant Mgr later Sr Assistant Mgr and around 1999 Store Mgr through April 2002.  I left right before the store was downsized as I could see things were changing and KB's future did not look promising.  They basically added a back row of shelving and reduced the depth of the store.  I enjoyed working there and have lots of fond memories of KB and the people who worked there.

I went to that Toy Works in Belmont at least a thousand times, I am from Plymouth thats 25 miles from that and 1988 that would sound right as I remember it being there for a while. and why did they downsize. thats when  I found less there.

[DJ*KB]

yes they downsized in 2003 or so probably to help reduce the monthly rent and prepare for closing.

[Marc82]

Something might be moving into the old KB Toys at the Meriden Sqaure Mall in the Dick's wing of the mall. All the KB fixtures have finally been removed and there was a guy in there yesterday doing work.

[d_fife]

how many TOy works reduced the store like Belmont and Keene?

[TRJ22487]

What was the address to the old Toy Works in Winsted Ct?
I believe it closed in 1997 before the KB merger and became an auction house
It was far on the outskirts of town, on the side of the main road with no plaza
The building was extremely tiny and very old school, still sold NES when they closed and n64 had just come out
It's a shame a picture of that place as Toy Works will likely never exist.

I was wondering if the building was caught on closeup with the new google maps.
I haven't been to Winsted since 2004 when I captured the Ames down the street while it was still vacant with signs up

[TRJ_22487]

Vintage "The Toy Works" sticker from 1992

[TRJ_22487]

This was the temporary Holiday 2008 store in the Holyoke Mall in Massachusetts.
The original store closed in 2005. The chain opened 30 "temporary stores" for Holdiay 2008 before closing the chain in 2009.
This was not where the original store had been in the mall. This store tried to capitalize on the closing of Toys R Us at the Holyoke Mall in 2006 (one of my top childhood TRU's)

[ynkeesfn82]

Could something be getting ready to open in the former KB Toy Works in Bristol, Connecticut in the Price Chopper Plaza? The "For Lease" sign is gone and they're doing asbestos abatement.

[JimSawhill]

Could something be getting ready to open in the former KB Toy Works in Bristol, Connecticut in the Price Chopper Plaza? The "For Lease" sign is gone and they're doing asbestos abatement.

Keep us informed Please!!

[ynkeesfn82]

Nothing yet Jim.

[ynkeesfn82]

Half of Shoprite Plaza in Southington got a new paint job and new roof. Here's a shot of the former KB Toys. The left side was a CitiBank for about 18 months.