- Restaurants |
- Nightlife |
- Shopping |
- Movies |
- All
Henry Bear's Park
Category: Shopping Toy Stores Toy Stores [Edit]
685 Massachusetts AvenueArlington, MA 02476
Neighborhood: Arlington Center
(781) 646-9400
- Nearest Transit:
-
Massachusetts Ave @ Central St (67, 77, 79)
Massachusetts Ave @ Academy St (67, 77, 79)
Massachusetts Ave @ Library Way (67, 77, 79)
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
4 reviews for Henry Bear's Park
4 reviews in English
-
Review from Ella B.
Arlington, MA
11/27/2011
I LOVE this store! The selection is a wonderful break from the usual over-marketed selection in the big-box stores. Toys that make children think! Fantastic!
The store is clean, well-presented, and fun to explore. It's worlds away from the sky-high aisles of endless stuff of the national retailers. HBP is a much better experience in part because they're clearly thoughtful about the selection.
Even better, the team is so positive and professional. I was in the store on Small Business Saturday and they were genuinely excited that the Legos I purchased were on sale. And the cashier stopped the transaction to confirm that I'd registered my Amex so that I'd get the account credit.
After my recent spate of negative reviews, how refreshing to have a store value me as a customer--and to ensure a positive experience for children and the (physically) grown-up. -
Review from Ger T.
Arlington, MA
4/17/2008
I haven't been to a toy store in ages, but this weekend I had an urgent need for some Lego-ish type toys, and I didn't want to have to drive all the way to a big chain. Luckily, this place was close by, so I popped in to see if they had what I was looking for, and I was delightfully surprised by the cute and kid-friendly vibe that this place has. (Now that might sound obvious since it's a toy store, but having grown up in cities that were flooded with Walmarts and Toys R Us, I can't say I really associate toy stores with "kid-friendly". ) When I think of your average toy store, I think of fluorescent lights, white linoleum flooring, steel shelving, giant quantities of every toy imaginable. Henry Bear's Park, on the other hand, is carpeted, quirky, and they'll do gift wrap for you at the counter if you're buying for a party, as most of the people in there seemed to be doing.
Since they are quite small by big-box standards, their toy selection isn't massive, but they had a bit of everything. I did see a TON of playsets for boys (wooden building sets, model sets, legos, blocks), and the toys seemed to be marketed towards younger kids (I'd say early elementary). There were a lot of puzzle-type toys, as well as building sets like the Legos I was looking for. I wouldn't recommend going here if you need a very specific type of toy or an older model of a toy. Most of their stock seemed to be the new release type stuff.
The people at the counter were pretty friendly, which is always a plus at toy stores! It looked like they were having fun at their jobs, which if you think about it, if I worked at a toy store, I'd have fun too. -
Review from Andrea M.
Sudbury, MA
1/1/2009
Located just outside of the busy Mass Ave./Route 60 intersection, Henry Bear's Park is the perfect place to find good quality toys. They have an awesome Train table to keep the kids busy while you shop (getting them out of the store is another story). In the back the have a fantastic book selection, and a couple of tables with toys to play with. I never have an issue finding a gift or toy for my child. The staff is very helpful, the manager is extremely nice. The store is small but they do a pretty good job of making use of their space. I just wish they carried more toys that were not made in China. They also do gift wrap, such a bonus!
-
Review from Vanilla P.
San Lorenzo, CA
4/25/2010
I take my kid here when I need to have her burn energy. There are tons of toys to try out - mini shopping carts, train tables, noise makers, kitchen play - and I don't have to buy them! I wish their prices were a little lower, but I understand that they're a local business and not a mega-toy store. The employees are always really nice, so the higher prices are worth it IMO.
