Toys Galore

They’re not kidding. This place is overflowing with toys of all kinds — board games, dolls, action figures, that Warhammer stuff that the weird kid in school used to paint. And, given it’s an independent store, it really isn’t that expensive. Monopoly and Cluedo were £15.
Now, I’m 22. And as a child I never had that many toys. My parents bought me books to turn me into the verbose, intolerant specimen I am today (I’m really very nice, and so are my parents but that doesn’t work for reviewing purposes). I used to get so jealous of my classmates, with their cool toys. I did have loads of Lego, mind.
Given this deprivation as a child you’d think I’d go wild in a place like this. You’d think I’d be sliding down the isles on my knees, crashing around with glee. Or at least, you know, be a bit excitable. Not so. It was dark and eerily quiet. It all felt a bit serious. It was everything a toy shop shouldn’t have been. Mr Magorium wouldn’t be impressed.

This shop really brings me back to my childhood, it’s got a retro appearance, with bright toy box colours and the windows chock full of toys and games. They specialise in traditional toys here, you are unlikely to find really complex electronic gadgets, just good old fashioned fun. There are loads of board games, lego, child’s dolls, for some reason Warhammer, and a few things I had never seen before. It is a bit of a shambles as well, but in a cute independent shop way, you can get lost in amongst piles of toys and games.
The people there are great as well and you can see that they enjoy selling toys to little kids, and bigger kids as well. I did see a few adults having a cheeky peek around and it was amusing realising that they were enjoying it more than the kids.
Since the closure of Woolworths there are few toy stores around any more, and even fewer independent toy shops. Toys Galore is there to bring fun to people and in that respect it succeeds. A great place for gifts, either for children or for those who still claim to be ‘young at heart’

This is a trip down memory lane. So much so that I bought a toy car for my brother and he’s 24– it was identical to one we had when we were little. This place is definitely worth a look.

You don’t need children to go to the toy shop. It’s amazing as an adult the weird excitement that being in a toy shop evokes in you.
I often buy stupid birthday presents for awesome friends here, but also get something for myself as well.
The toys are pretty much all the same as when we were children, so prepare for waves of nostalgia.