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Category: Toy Stores
Neighborhood: University of TexasMon-Thu. 10:00 a.m. - 11:00 p.m.
Fri-Sat. 10:00 a.m. - 12:00 a.m.
Sun. 10:00 a.m. - 11:00 p.m.
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This has to be one of the top 5 "date places" in Austin. If you have company out of town from Austin, taking them here is a great idea.
The sheer variety of toys is wonderfully overwhelming; it's an endless supply of fun, novelty, and nostalgia! The place has been subtly changed every time I've been there, so it's worth making repeat visits.
I especially enjoyed their Hello Kitty merchandise, which was topped off by a hole in the ceiling through which a Hello Kitty was peering... fortunately this watchful Ceiling Cat did not witness me doing anything inappropriate.
Tee Hee! I'm an 80's kid so this place has great toys of my childhood. I love the fact that you can find my little pony and smurfy stuff here.
I tried the vegan ice cream? Frozen yogurt? Who knows. I've only been once. However, it was better than I expected it to be. A little grainy, but good nonetheless.
It has a bit of a nostalgic feel and definitely a keep Austin Weird kind of place. Cutesy.
I was on a mad scavenger hunt to find some large marbles that had come up missing and was told by many to come here.....So, I sure did...
WOAH. Amazing! It is like the SMURFS, Get-A-Long Gang, Thundercats, ALF, Rainbow Brite, Punky Brewster, the Care Bears, Strawberry Shortcake, all of My Little Ponies, and the entire Reading Rainbow exploded in here at one point!! Amazing!! It is wall-to wall madness of the toys of yesteryear!!
One could spend hours looking at the packed walls of nostalgic merchandise.....I loved finding all kinds of marbles, wacky wall-walkers, board games, really, everything in there was so cool. I even halfway expected the traditional Willy Wonka himself (or an oompah-loompah) to just jump off from one of the hand-shaped chairs and parade every visitor with a golden ticket, yes, it is really that special!!!
Then, just as I thought it could not get any better:
HELLO, KITTY!!!
I was in Sanrio Suprise/shock when I headed toward the back of the store past the colorful pirate's treasure chest of celebrity inspired bracelets to find Hello Kitty's Hideout!!
Unbelievable!
Hello Kitty everywhere!! The cool red lockable diaries, the red jewelry boxes, back-packs, I thought I was dreaming!
Then, I saw the neat coffee/cold drinks bar where the cool staff was offering out peanut butter soy soft serve that was delicious! Then we tried their teas with the huge pink straws in it so that way the "bubbles" in the tea (which are tapioca beads) could easily pass in the straw and that was so unique and memorable!!
When I bought the marbles, they put them in a Hello Kitty Bag with all the Sanrio characters on it!!! I LOVED IT! It may not seem like a big deal but it was very exciting to me!!! :)
The prices are low to moderate.....And don't forget about looking at the erasers that smell great and the pencils that had separate leads that you had to push through the pencil when you needed a new lead....unreal....
To "top" it all off, they even have a candy aisle in the Hello Kitty area that will have you remembering when Jolly Rancher came in long stick form, and not the small squares that it is today....you will see pop-rocks, chic-o-stix, and it will ignite your inner child most definitely!!
The only thing that was missing was Gem and her truly, truly, truly outrageous holograms, and the Snoopy-sitting-on-his doghouse-sno-cone Maker that was the talk of my neighborhood back in the 80's....
Please go check it out and find your marbles there, too! :)
This place is for me, and my toys. They have the most diverse and obscure selection of every toy, every franchise, for any and all ages. Go in, and you will get lost for a few hours.
I've heard SO much about Toy Joy. I was so excited to come here. Of course upon walking in you're a little overwhelmed. Not knowing where to start, I usually end up in the back and work my way to the front when in a new store.
I was looking for something different...something peculiar, but nothing in particular! ...I was kind of disappointed. Everything was soo...cliche? Meh, it's a good spot to find your regular stuff like stuffed animals. Lots of little key chains/trinkets. Didn't leave me with the ''wow factor''. I shall keep searching for that odd/one of a kind toy store. :)
Where else can you find glow-in-the-dark zombie finger puppets? How about four foot long gummy snakes? Ninja health tip playing cards? Hand shaped chairs? Vegan soft serve ice cream? Endangered animal erasers? Tic Tac Toast?.. Tic Tac Toast, btw, is a little grid to burn onto your bread so you can play Tic Tac Toe on your toast. Genius.
Long live Toy Joy!!!!
Who needs a therapist when you have Toy Joy?!
I always find myself saying, "Well, [insert name of inferior toy store here] is okay, but it's not as good as Toy Joy"...and yet somehow I have never reviewed this place.
This is my yardstick by which to measure all other toy stores. If I had been introduced to this store at an impressionable age I would have been ruined for life for all other retail experiences. There is cool stuff EVERYWHERE. There is also little to no blank space upon which to rest your eyes. It kinda needs a surgeon general's warning: if you are hyper, prone to freakouts in confined spaces or get easily overwhelmed by a lot of STUFF, look out! It's definitely a sensory overload experience, but it's fun!
Pretty much any type of taste can be satisfied here, if said person has a sense of humor. A good go-to shop for gifts, or if you're feeling bored or down.
This is one of those stores that I wish I could put in a bubble and tote along with me, since I live nowhere near it now. If you're in Austin, take advantage of your proximity and get some joy out of the toys!!
When you want to find the oddball unusual gift for the friend that is easy with a smile, this is the place to go. They have toys for all ages. From the newborn through too the gift you can get for you aged father.
They also stock toys from Japan and Europe, that you are unlikely to find elsewhere. This is the store that carried Hello Kitty a decade before it could be found in a local mall.
It can be a bit pricey for some items, but it's as local as it gets and they are not dealing in the same volume as the chains stores.
I just moved back to Austin and when I heard that Toy Joy now serves vegan soft serve I booked my self over there asap and got some. Oh my!!! It was sooooo good. It's homemade and tastes like heaven. I had a twist of the vanilla and the flavor of the week, chocolate mint. Apparently they always have vanilla and then rotate in new flavors every week. You can find out what the flavor of the week is on their website. Next week is strawberry and the following is peanut butter. I plan to make my visit a weekly occurrence. My husband, who is not a vegan, and prefers his ice cream with cow milk surprised me and ordered the vegan soft serve, as well. I was disappointed to see that he LOVED it , too, since it meant I couldn't steal from his cup after I gobbled mine up ; ). They make milkshakes, as well, if that's your thing.
Also, try the black ice tea. It's the best I've had in a long time.
If you cannot find a way to have fun in this store, you might need medication. This place is great! I took my girlfriend and her daughter last night and we spent almost an hour shopping, laughing and getting gifts for our nieces and nephews. This was not my first visit, but it was the first time for both of them.
When you walk in, the store overwhelms you. There is SO MUCH to see. There are two entrances. The one on Guadalupe that goes straight into the toy store part, and an entrance from the parking lot that starts you out with the sweets and treats they offer in back. Both sides are really fun to look around in.
Toy Joy features all kinds of toys, but they have a lot of imported goodies from Japan, China and other places. The staff is extremely friendly and helpful. This is one of those happy places where everybody is smiling while shopping. Where else are you going to find paint-your-own Obama characters just around the corner from an Asian mustache kit and some sock monkeys?
I bought a game for my niece that I have never seen before. It reminded me of Jenga, but had a Jumanji style timer that went with it. I also got her some colorful candy (sorry sis) a Happy Birthday rubber ducky, and an egg that she can water everyday for two weeks to reveal a secret message. Unusual stuff that I have certainly never seen in a Toys-R-Us.
The prices might be a tad high on some things, but compared to SF, they seemed very fair to me. After the purchase was complete, they asked if I wanted my items gift wrapped. It was a free service, which really impressed me. The girl who created the lovely wrapping for me seemed sincerely pleased when I gave her a tip. Kudos to the staff for being so great to us and making our already excellent shopping experience even better.
So after a lackadaisical off- again on-again search all over town for a die cast Bender figure (from Futurama, if you didn't know) I ambled into Toy Joy. After a fruitless (but highly enjoyable) 20 minute search I ask the girl behind the counter:
"Do you guys have Bender?"
She smiles and responds:
"Of course, we are WELL versed in the Tao of Futurama."
Bliss. Why didn't I start here?
When I first saw the multicolored exterior of Toy Joy, I knew I would fall in love. Toy Joy has a good range of stuff, from the board games to the plushies, but a word to the claustrophobic: it can get mighty crowded in there sometimes. Such variety makes Toy Joy a great place when you're looking for last-minute gifts. I always feel free to make conversation with the employees, and they're helpful if I can't find what I'm looking for. For Christmas, I purchased a magic 8 ball for a friend and had it wrapped for free. The wacky paper and assortment of interestingly colored ribbons really said a lot about Toy Joy's character; they do their job, and they do it well with style.
However, there's one small detail that's kind of a double-edged sword: Toy Joy is very child-friendly, which is great if you're looking to bring a smile to a birthday kid's face. On the other hand, this is what makes Toy Joy different from places like Spencer's, and for a young adult like me, I want to find a place where I can buy dirty gag gifts for my friends.
True, some of their stuff is expensive, but there is a good deal of things which aren't. I am definitely a fan of their Sanrio section; it has a wider selection and a more palatable range of prices than other places around campus, like Momoko.
Overall, I think Toy Joy is wonderful. It's weird, friendly, unique, full of whimsical and happy things, and it's just... got that feeling of Austin, really. That's why I love it so much.
Fun place to peruse and just take the kiddos for the sheer enjoyment of exploring and discovering. Lots of really cool toys and gizmos!
The place is packed full and not that large so it can be a bit claustrophobic and it's not stroller friendly if you have one of those big clunky strollers. Better to just pop the kid on your hip for easy maneuverability.
Def. one of my first stops to visit in Austin. Love the shoppe but the shakes and drinks is where its at! The vegan peanut butter chocolate shake is to die.. but my fav is by far the LAVENDER LEMONADE.. yumz!!!
(To the tune of Petula Clark's "Downtown")
When you're reading the paper
Stock market's makin' you quake,
You can always go to TOY JOY!
When you've got worries,
All the noise and the furry
Seems to help, I know, at TOY JOY
Just listen to the hoola-hoopin employees and
Linger on the sidewalk where the neon signs are pretty
How can you lose?
The lights are much brighter there
You can forget all your troubles, forget all your cares and go to
TOY JOY, things'll be great when you're at
TOY JOY, no finer place for sure,
TOY JOY, everything's waiting for you
I went back tonight for the first time after Toy Joy ate Dhaba Joy, and . . . believe it or not . . . they've crammed even MORE TOYS into that shop!!! It's RIDICULOUS how much more stuff they have. And they still have tea, coffee, and ice cream!!! I was so surprised to find it in the back!
When I'm having a bad day, I just go to Toy Joy to cheer myself up. Seriously, if putting on a pope hat and alien sunglasses doesn't make you feel better, I don't know what will. Unfortunately, I rarely buy anything from there because it is far too expensive. It's a good place to go to get gag gifts. The place is a severe sensory overload, so don't like do psychedelic mushrooms and go in there. Might be a little much.
I have nephews who don't live anywhere near me. I wanted to get them small *cool* gifts for the holidays, so I head over to Toy Joy. Two palm sized dart shooters later, and I'm covered in that department.
I wander in the cafe and wade through the sea of Hello Kitty to the counter. I wanted something, but I had no idea.
They immediately got on my good side because the non-busy cafe was more than happy to ring up the purchases from the insanity of Toy Joy at 5pm on a Friday (yeah, I know, my fault). I must have looked undecided because the the nice girl at the counter asked if she could make a suggestion.
She had just made an *awesome* chocolate lavender milkshake and recommended that. I'm pretty much game for anything so I let her.
ohmygawd that thing was good. Now, you have to like chocolate and you have to like lavender, but it was mighty tasty.
My advice: take their advice at the counter.
Reviewing a toy store as an adult is like a Muslim reviewing a Catholic Church. it doesnt make sense. but if i could go back in time and pretend i was 7 would i like this place?
yes. i would love it. its the grandest toy store in Central Texas!
i actually have been here numerous times. i used to work across the street at an old Plasma Center which no longer is there. but take my word its a cool spot.
This is the place to go for weird and unusual toys. They also have a lot of old school toys here. It is definitely a bit of a novelty store. I don't really get excited over toy stores, being that I am 23, but this toy store is exciting for adults. There is so much to look at in there, it is unlike any toy store I have been to. Only reason they don't get five stars is that tiny little plastic figurines in bins, etc, can cost up to a few dollars. Most stuff is overpriced, but it is still fun to check out and buy a thing or two.
Dusty and dirty junk pile. If you want ( as my friend Jim L. calls it) "cheap crap from China" at ridiculous high prices then this is the place for you. I strolled in after hearing so much about this place. I looked around for a while unimpressed but I did find the cutest little cuddle animal for my niece. While I was looking I was struck with an urge to pee and asked to use the restroom. I was not allowed because I hadn't purchased anything. I could not believe this! Here I am, a pushing 40 well dressed shopper with money to spend and they were denying me access to use the restroom because I had not yet made a purchase. Effing toilet Nazis. I quickly forgot about the seal and left vowing to never return.
ME: Do you have any more of these Halloween stickers? I need like one more book?
Female Employee: No, what we have is on the rack. You should try Wal-Mart.
ME: ?????
Radom Male Customer (stopping dead in tracks): ?????
Male Employee: /Moan. Groan. Mumble./
ME: But, I hate Wal-Mart.
Female Employee: Everyone hates on Wal-Mart. Their prices are always dropping.
ME: There's that.
Random Male Customer: /chortle/
The Male Employee then suggests several other stores which I can't remember because I still am trying to wrap my brain around the Wal-Mart recommendation.
Anyway, rumored to be under new ownership. Dhaba Joy is now closed and has been turned into Hello Kitty! mecca. The store's also been rearranged-- cash register now at front. No worries, though. It's still packed floor to ceiling. They had Zombies. Zombies are cool. Also, Poo Poo Panda-- a dispenser of brown jelly beans. You can use your imagination on that one. Poo Poo Panda RAWKS!
Wal-Mart not so much.
(Shakes finger at two star reviewers of Toy Joy).
LOL. I bet you're the same people who think the Simpsons is a "cartoon" and are offended that their content isn't "kid friendly."
Take your kid AND your grande double espresso latte to Terra Toys. He was hogging the wind-up nun section anyway.
It doesn't matter what age you are, you will have fun browsing the absurd amount of toys and novelty items in here. It is jam packed, floor to ceiling with things that put a smile on your face.
I bought a weird key chain of a woman's body with a fetus inside, a little rubber bat (a souvenir for myself), a build a boat card, and a little plastic bear. I really wanted one of those blow up bouncy horses, but they were 50 bucks, and I couldn't really justify buying that for myself...since I am not a small child who would get hours of joy out of a blow up bouncy horse. Who am I kidding, I totally would.
I honestly felt, for a moment, that I might burst into flames for not giving Toy Joy the 5th star. I really did. It is, quite possibly, the happiest place in all of Austin. For years, whenever I was down, I wandered into this place to find something to cheer me up. Most often, it was Pez. Yeah, I said it.
Pez.
I LOVE Pez. I had a great collection, years back, when I was in college, all kinds of Pez dispensers. My roommates and the guys in the dorm thought I was a little weird at first, but they were all constantly munching Pez out of my Darth Vader and My Casper the Ghost in no time. At the end of one semester, when I was packing my things to put into storage for the summer, I ran out of boxes, and wasn't sure what to do with the 60 or so Pez dispensers I had. I was packing my stereo, I had saved the box and the styrofoam casing and everything, and as anyone who has ever opened electronics knows, there was a lot of spare room in that box. So, I swept up my Pez dispensers into the box as well, and into storage they went.
While I was gone, someone broke into storage and stole my stereo, among other things. I can only imagine the look on the thief's face when he opened up the box, and found not only the stereo he was after, but 60+ little plastic cartoon heads!
So I started a new collection when I got to Austin, even put together a Pez drive on the web, complete with prizes. I sent a guy in Oregon, who sent me three pez, a cd of a great Austin band as a prize. I bought a close friend a great pearl snap shirt in exchange for a Pez that was also a flashlight and a vintage Pez sign! There were many other prize winners, and I have a pretty good collection going again.
And like I said, there were the days that I went in to Toy Joy, by myself, for some cheering up, and came out with a Pez. I realized recently that I haven't done it in a long, long time, and I think its because I was using it. During that hiatus of solo trips, I visited Toy Joy with others, as part of a group outing or shopping trip, and it was fine because it was fun, and I wasn't really there for ME.
But I realized that I had grown to dislike going to Toy Joy alone just a little, because going there alone meant I was upset before I got there. It's a little like how I associate Gatorade with hangovers. It works like a charm, but if that's all you use it for, it becomes like taking medicine, not like something fun. So, I am determined to go in when I am in a good mood, and maybe be nice to a stranger, help spread the Joy of Toys around a little, and let them earn back that 5th star.
Oh my weakness! I can't go in there. If I do, I'll spend money. That's a good indicator it is an awesome place. A great place if you want some toys or some quirky things to decorate your desk at the office.
They have the biggest collection of ugly dolls that I have ever seen. It was filled with me most diverse toys I hadn't seen in a while. I was totally drooling over the robot collection they had in the back. Their roof was hanging with sock monkeys, very awesome. I ended up grabbing two of these furry little one eyed, one toothed homely stuffed dolls, and they gift wrapped it for free!
Though I have a special place in my heart for Domy in Houston, this was a pleasant surprise to visit.
**FYI Domy is opening a shop in Austin as I type this. Hello competition!!!
Just go if you haven't been - you know you want to and you know you'll never forgive yourself if you don't. Fun for all ages.
Parking is behind the store a little bit on 29th.
The artist formerly known as Dhaba Joy has reappeared in a scaled back, cupcake-free way ... and it has changed its name to Toy Joy Cafe.
Let's start by acknowledging that they had exciting vegan cupcakes. Know that we have that off of our chests, let's think about how change can be good ... good tasting that is.
Can we talk about the VEGAN SOFT SERVE? It's made with coconut milk and vanilla and tofu and sugar - and it's yummy for my non-vegan tummy. Here's how I found out:
I was in Toy Joy Cafe looking at the vegan yummies and marveling at the Hello Kitty explosion that seems to have precluded any seating area. Suddenly, this guy got a taste of the stuff ... he kinda went crazy and then asked if he could have a "milk"shake made with the soft serve and soy milk; apparently he *really* likes coconut so I think he was experiencing a heretofore undiscovered form of frozen nirvana; it's like brain freeze but much more other-worldly based on my observations of this guy. Anyway, he was so convincing that I had to get my taste on too ... it was good ... the samples are free so what do you have to lose?
Toys, yes -- but AWESOME toys. Toy Joy sells stuff you can't get at Toys 'R' Us, and searching through their loot is a joyful experience. Employees are friendly and helpful.
The Japanese import section is a nice touch, too -- a one-stop shop for things you'd otherwise have to scour even Japan for. This is no plain jane mall-type Sanrio store: I bought wind-up sushi this past weekend. Yes, wind-up sushi. You know you're jealous.
Every year I end up here a few times, just wandering around for the sheer amusement of it. I don't intend to buy anything, but I always do.
Toy Joy is the closest I've come to replicating that indescribably supreme childhood feeling of being set loose in a really great toy store, with no time limit and no supervision.
A great place to set your mind free and just play for a while.
Love love LOVE this place. I seriously wish Toy Joy would open up a chain in Boston, because it completely pwns pretty much any other store that sells intriguing knickknacks (except for maybe Magpie).
If you're looking for stuff like two-headed baby dolls, vinyl toys, USB controllers made from original NES controllers (I'm looking at you, Russ S.), and books like Porn For New Moms, then this is the place for you. The store, though incredibly cramped and overflowing with the aforementioned items and much, MUCH more, is actually quite decently organized and it's not really difficult to find one's way around the store. However, the floor is littered with merchandise. One false move and you'll find yourself tripping over Godzilla and his minions, or maybe 1917 Russia: The Board Game!
I don't think that Jason will ever be taking me back to Toy Joy on subsequent trips to Austin, because I spent damn near two hours in there. Normally I like to get in and get out, but certain stores (like Toy Joy and Magpie) make me feel like, well, a kid in a toy store.
The sales staff is super cool too. The cashier informed me of various free SXSW-related goings-on, but sadly we didn't get to check them out. I also noticed the aforementioned retooled NES controller in the display case at the counter, and she hooked me up with the website for purchasing it. Word. I ended up purchasing a t-shirt with sweet little birdies (maybe chickadees?), a clutch, some little souvenirs for mah friends, a pair of earrings, and some nifty buttons. Had I allowed for more room in my already cramped, tiny suitcase, I would have bought way more. Alas, it was not meant to be.
I highly recommend that anyone who's visiting Austin should visit this eccentric little haunt. After all, there's a robot mural outside. And who doesn't like robots? Well, maybe old people, but they sure don't count.
This place is in the same vane of Seattle's beloved Archie McPhees- except for the prices. I thought some of the knick-knacks were a little high priced- whatever...my kids had about as much fun as the 20 year olds in the place, so I guess that's worth it. Some fun stuff, but overall a little pricey for what you get...
Not only does Toy Joy have...
a.) A very large and unique selection of Sanrio, safe and interesting toys for babies, Outdoor toys, and novelty gifts,
b.) Occasionally, interesting Clothing & Accessories,
c.) Good coffee next door, and
d.) FREE GIFT WRAPPING
but, they've got a GREAT STAFF of fun, lovable people working for them.
I love you, TOY JOY!
Fun: taking a date to toy joy for a few minutes and playing with silly stuff. As mentioned, tons of giggleable crap to fiddle with, ponder, consider, and enjoy while you're there.
Fun-er: Arriving in a limo with 9 friends for a birthday, then making the birthday girl wait while all of you are buying silly $1 presents for her inside. And getting them gift wrapped. Total sweetness.
I have this love/hate relationship with Toy Joy.
I love going in there and being able to see all the wonderful things.
I hate when it is crowded and packed like sardines with all the touristy people and it's insane.
I love that you can obtain eternally funky things for you and your friends and loved ones.
I hate that once I've been in there about 15 minutes I WANT OUT!
I love that my kids get gift certificates every year for Toy Joy from our friends Dana and Carol and I, once again, have a reason to journey in.
Most of all, I love that I found the coolest credit.business card holder in the WORLD in there!
and I hate that, after 3 years of abuse, it is falling apart.
It's like Santa ate every possible toy, game, and plastic object, (even old school ones) then threw up in a small room on the corner of 29th and the drag.
Just like that but minus the partially digested gingerbread men and pre-chewed gum drops.
Toy joy is awesome! When i first moved to Austin in '05 I was driving with my then boyfriend and happened to cut my toe in the car so i told him I NEEDED a band-aid. His response was "whatever, let's go to this place called Toy Joy, we're not far." I was so pissed, I remember I kept bitching at him to go to walgreens! When we got there it was so fun and colorful! TONS of toys and silly plastic things everywhere. I ended up buying some weird sunglasses, a japanese notepad, and a pack of pirate band-aids! Toy Joy saved my toe ;)
Best place to buy crap and I mean the good, silly, make you giggle kind of crap, not the other kind.
I love going into Toy Joy because you regress a little into a kid again. But the ironic thing is, I hate when there are a ton of kids in there. Too much stimulus for me to take in and there is just not enough floor space to move around. A bit claustrophobic-ish. But good wholesome fun!
O...They have free gift wrap too!
Toy Joy is NOT a sex shop, it really is a toy store. You would think that this doesn't need to be said but, trust me, it does.
Remember all those toys you played with as a kid? Take a walk down memory lane and embrace your inner child. Ask to see their selection of 'boxing' puppets. They are great!
Neighborhood: 78704 (South Austin)
Category: Toy Stores
Neighborhood: Clarksville
Category: Newspapers & Magazines
Neighborhood: Downtown
Category: Shoe Stores
Neighborhood: 78704 (South Austin)
Category: Jewelry
Austin, TX
Category: Used, Vintage & Consignment
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