Once Upon a Time

Wow! What a great store. Fun and unique toys for kids of all ages! it will put a smile on your face!

This place is a mecca for the young in age and young at heart.
I popped in here recently to browse for a gift for my soon to arrive niece. I used to be a regular and loved the variety of games, costumes, and gadgets this place stocks that are great alternatives to the flashing, loud toys you encounter at some chain stores. It’s easy to navigate and has plenty of options for kids toys without feeling like a warehouse.
One of my best finds a few years ago were some «spring» rings. They literally looked like small, brightly-​colored springs that would wrap around your ring finger with some beads on the wires. I bought about a dozen at $ 1 apiece and have included them as gifts to friends since I bought them. I always get compliments from people when I either wear the one I bought for myself or include one as a gift.
Every compliment transports me to an idyllic memory of the corner toy store in downtown Rocky River and reminds me that it’s ok to be a kid at heart even if you look like a grownup!

One of the many reasons I love being an aunt is that I get to shop at places like this for my nieces and nephew. I don’t have to elbow people out of my way at Toys R Us during the holiday season, and my money stays local. They have stuff for the range of infant to grade school, and you can find first-​world made goods pretty frequently. They sell lovely collectibles like the Steiff animals, and they have a wide selection of educational games and toys. The kind employees gift wrap, too, for those of us who are totally helpless at it. Bottom line, not your average toy store. I’m glad to have them right down the street.

Love this local, non TV-​centric local toy store!
My first trip here was just to stop by and see what they had for a very mature 8 year old boy, but the kid in my immediately freaked out and started tinkering and playing around with all the stuff!
The first thing I noticed was that this place wasn’t covered in pink Barbies, Legos, Wii games and everything else you’d get ran over for at Toys R Us – in fact, I didn’t even see a toy that was directly related to something on television. Instead, this place is packed with unique gifts and toys for toddlers and I’d say about K-​3.
My only gripe was that most things (not all) seemed a little baby-​ish for my boyfriend’s son, who’s turning 8 in a few weeks. I know, he’s only 8 – but honestly, kids these days are into more grown up stuff. As much as I’d like them to slow down and enjoy the little things, I think his Dad wasn’t really feeling the «kiddie toys.» Understandable, since most all the toys this kid has have been played with once and then left to sit in a big toy bucket in his overflowing closet.
With that being said, I found at least 5 – 7 things I thought he might like to play with, but his Dad was just not in the shopping mood. The learning-​centered gifts were awesome and there were so many other toys that really tapped into the creative arts sides of kids. I wish they had a few sports items as well (because no matter how smart we want our kids to be, they can still learn a lot about the discipline and teamwork of being on a sports team), but there wasn’t really any I could find.
I also think if we would have brought the little guy with us, he would have gone nuts picking out tons of stuff.
I’ll definitely be back!

Unique and great toys for kids of all ages. The staff is great. My kids are spoiled rotten and pretty much have acquired every toy under the sun… or so I thought until I stumbled upon this place. Huge selection and pretty awesome educational toys and games. This little, local gem is well worth checking out, but be advised bring your checkbook! You will buy even more shit for your little monsters. LOL

Best toy store in the Cleve, hands down. They have a large selection of quality, award winning toys that engage children beyond that of Barbies and Ninja Turtles. They have Klutz books, Melissa & Doug, Creativity for Kids and more! Can you tell I used to work at a toy store? I really love the life sized Melissa & Doug stuffed dogs and this store has ‘em. If I wasn’t unemployed, I’d do some real damage here now that I have a nephew to shop for. Luckily, the best toy buying years are ahead of him, so I can still do my part in keeping this independent toy store afloat. It is fun just to browse here.
And, they gift wrap!