Friday, April 26, 2013

Surprise Sidewalk Sale on Larchmont

So if you're on Larchmont this weekend, stroll on by and see if there's something you just can't resist.

Also in great Larchmont news, the Barber Shop next door to us at 144 N. Larchmont has re-opened, and it looks spectacular!  We're glad to have a neighbor on that side again, so stop on by and say hi to them if you come by the Toy Shop :)

Go Ogo, Go!

If you are a frequent visitor to Landis' Labyrinth Toy Shop, then you probably at some point have had us recommend the OgoSport Ogodisk to you (seen center).  We admit it, we recommend this to just about everyone for every age, but we do it for a good reason.  It's absolutely one of our best-selling items... it's a set of two lightweight discs with a mesh interior that you can used to bounce Koosh balls or any balls tennis ball-sized and under off of.  You can practice your aiming skills by playing on your own, or with another person, or if you're lucky enough to have a friend who also has a set, to get a whole group together to play.  The discs also double as flying discs so you have multiple ways to play!  The other bonus about these sets is that the "Koosh" ball that comes with it is super soft so no tears if you get bonked in the head by it.  These are designed for ages 3 and up, so everyone can have fun.

And because we love the Ogodisks so much, we had to try out their Volo line, of which we have the Fenik and Havik.  Kind of like a football with a tail, you can bend the tails of them to get them to 'fly' in different ways when you throw them.  Like the Ogodisks, the Volos are great for your backyard or the beach, but they are recommended for 6 years and up, so keep that in mind when shopping for a gift!  Let summer begin!

Buy American :)


What we as consumers spend on foreign-made products is staggering, especially as only a few decades ago nearly everything was American-made.  Last week, a customer of ours came in and mentioned that they had read an article that stated that if we each spent $60 a year on American-made products, nearly 200,000 jobs would be created in this country.  It seems shocking that such a relatively small amount could have that impact, but after doing a quick search online, I found this article from 2011 to back it up: http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/business/2011/11/made-in-america-creating-jobs-for-christmas/.  Okay, so technically, we need to spend $64 (which since this article is over a year old means we probably have to spend more like $65 now), but still, it isn't a lot, yet it goes a long way.  Since we opened back in 2009, we've carried many made in America lines, some of which have become well-known like Green Toys, who were recently celebrated by Chase bank as an innovative "Main Street" entrepreneur.  Others are still relatively unknown lines for many people, like Crazy Aaron's Thinking Putty, Channel Craft, and Maple Landmark.  The prices for these products may be slightly higher than their made in China counterparts, but the benefit to our country's economy it is more than worth the few extra dollars spent.  Take into consideration our custom yo-yo from Maple Landmark, shown above.  Made in Vermont by people paid a decent wage in good working conditions, these yo-yos are also engraved with our logo, which we think is pretty dandy.  And it retails for $5.95.  $5.95! For a super awesome classic toy that you can't get anywhere else.  So consider buying something made in America next time you're at Landis' Labyrinth!

Tuesday, April 16, 2013

Avoid hard knocks with Soft Blocks!

You would think that from looking at this photo that you're looking at Legos.  I personally think it looks like cake covered with fondant pretending to be Legos, but that isn't the case.  These are Soft Blocks... squishy, foamy, colorful large bricks that you can use to build all sorts of creations (we actually made a sign at one point out of them spelling out 'TOYS' to put in our window).  The wonderful thing about this line is that the pieces hold together well and yet are super soft so if someone gets it in their head to toss one at someone, it doesn't hurt.  And if you step on one, you'll probably forget all about it unlike when you step on a Lego brick.  The pieces are a bit larger than Lego's Duplo line, so they're great for smaller hands.  Recommended for 3 years and up (they are soft so it is possible for someone to bite a chunk out of them should they too think it looks like cake covered in fondant), they are also pool and bath safe and actually float on water!  Sold in 36 piece sets in primary (plus green) colors, these are available at both our 144 N. Larchmont and Manhattan Beach locations.

Friday, April 12, 2013

Be a fairy princess courtesy of Molly 'N Me!


Tiaras, wands, and tutus, oh my!  Plus a lot of dress-up jewelry, purses, butterfly wings, hair accessories, and more.  Molly 'N Me is one of our go to companies for imaginative dress-up accessories.  We love that they aren't full-on costumes... they are accessories that your little one can use to make their own outfits extraordinarily fun.  Basically if you like glitter, pink, and loads of butterflies and bows, this is your company!  These accessories sell fast, so be sure to stop by either our Manhattan Beach location or our location at 140 N. Larchmont and see what's in stock while it's in stock :)



Tuesday, April 9, 2013

Creativity is more than just paint and paper


It's also about puppets, experiments, and just plain imagination!  Folkmanis Puppets are fully-stocked again at both our Manhattan Beach and 144 N. Larchmont locations.  Folkmanis has come out with tons of new designs this year, as well as reissuing some of your favorites, such as the Turtleneck Turtle, Sloth, and of course, the Patchwork Rabbit who we've put to work as you can see.  Puppets are great for all ages, and I can personally testify to how well they work at calming a child down and entertaining them on a plane (I didn't have my eardrums ruptured or chair kicked once while sitting in front of a 2 year old on a 6 hour flight last year).  Folkmanis makes some of the best puppets out there, and they last for years.  Their Monarch Butterfly finger puppet is one of our best-sellers, and if you can't imagine why, you need to come in a see it in person.  It really does move like an actual butterfly with very little effort on the puppeteer's part.

And here's something that all of you parents who have to rush in everyday Saturday morning for a birthday party gift will be delighted to hear:  We just got a HUGE shipment of Klutz in!  This is one of our go-to ideas for gifts for children that you don't really know all that well but want to get them something they'll love.  I actually can't think of a time where someone has come in to return one because their child didn't love it.  They have activity/art kits for nearly every subject; Painting, paper crafts, fabric crafts, jewelry, classic games, rainy day activity books... the list goes on!  Their Chicken Socks line is perfect for 4 year olds, and the rest of the kits can easily go up to the teens (The Encyclopedia of Immaturity is a favorite for that... we had several adults sitting around reading it this weekend laughing about all of the crazy gags and illusions that the book teaches).  The kits come with a booklet that gives its reader clear and easy instructions on how to create things using items given in the kit, as well as ideas for what you can do when the supplies provided run out.  These aren't kits you toss after one use... you can use the booklets for future projects and the items you do make are worth keeping. 

Whether flashy or frugal, Hello Kitty knows how to accessorize

 And she's also savvy enough to recognize that she has fans of all ages who get excited over every new Hello Kitty item that comes into our shop!  For the more, let's say, sophisticated Hello Kitty consumer, we have some sparkly rhinestone-Hello-Kitty-face earrings and a matching necklace for your enjoyment.  Both earring sets are post-style, pierced earrings, and the necklace is especially lovely in that it has two layers in it (HK face as the longer layer, and a little sparkly heart for the shorter).  For our customers who are out for an extra special gift for their older HK fan, these pieces are absolutely ideal. 


But of course, sometimes some colorful, whimsical Hello Kitty is what will brighten up your day!  Stretchy, rubbery bracelets are the must-have accessory to sport around these days, and the cute one at the top of this photo is just one of many in an assortment of this style.  The charm adds something extra to the design, and while we respect this trend and fully support it, it's hard to say we love it more than the super rainbow-y Hello Kitty dangle bracelet below.  Not sure what color to get?  You get them all on one bracelet!  No tough decisions here, folks.  The charms are also very lightweight and the bracelet can be adjusted to fit nearly any size wrist.  The necklace on the right is a simple yet bold piece of jewelry that your child can afford with their own pocket money, or to give to a friend (we love the pretty card it comes on). Of course, if you want to be practical about your accessories, there is always the digital Hello Kitty watch.  It tells you the time and your friends that you are deeply committed to your love of Hello Kitty and trust her to make sure you make it to your appointments on time.  You're never to young to be punctual, and never to old to collect Hello Kitty :)

Wednesday, April 3, 2013

Just what makes a hero super?


Being in the window at Landis' Labyrinth, of course!  
Okay, so that's not really the definition of a superhero,  but no matter how exact your definition may be, you can't deny that Iron Man, Batman, Spider-Man, and Captain America are most definitely super.  And we've got them all, as well as the Hulk, Thor, Wolverine, etc.  Lego has done a great job with their DC & Marvel lines, and of course, it's hard to wrong with action figures from Hasbro and Mattel.  We especially like the action figures because let's face it, you can't teach imagination, and that's just what these figurines do.  Kids get to interact with and hold a miniaturized version of their larger-than-life heroes and continue the stories of these characters in their own words.  For them, it's not just another piece of plastic... it IS Captain America.  How cool is that?  And for all of you parents out there who aren't superhero-savvy, here's a rundown of why you might be hearing your kids talking about them:

Iron Man 3 is coming out next month, which based upon the two previous Iron Man movies will almost certainly be a huge hit with the kids (and adults).  We've seen so many Iron Man-mad children since we've been open come in here and just go bananas for Tony Stark's alter-ego.
  
Thor: The Dark World is coming out this November, and while he isn't as well-known as some of his other Avenger friends, his action figures are some of the best out there.  There's even one with him swinging his hammer around, which frankly I think is way more interesting than Captain America merely holding up his shield.  Which of course brings me to...

Captain America.  Who doesn't like this guy?  He was out best-selling superhero last year, and will no doubt be getting even more attention this year since the second Captain America movie is due out early next spring.  Also a bonus, he doesn't really use guns.  At all.  So for parents who prefer to keep projectile-firing toys out of their kids' hands, Captain America is your hero!

The Wolverine is coming back in movie-form this summer, and even when I was a kid he was by far the most popular X-Men character.  So if you're wondering why your children are taking your silverware and trying to turn them into extensions of their fingers, that's probably the reason.  Lego did a great set for the film that we have in right now.

Superman is also coming back in Man of Steel this summer, and while we haven't gotten any of our Superman merchandise in, rest assured, we will once it's available to us.  We're excited to see a whole new generation learn about Superman and that aliens are actually pretty decent people.

Spider-Man 2 will also be released next year, and Hasbro has done a ton of Spider-Man related action figures that we brought in.  They have everything from action figures that are around a foot tall to pocket-sized sets that are perfect for little hands to hold.

And of course we have to have some Batman action figures and Lego sets because, well, we like Batman.  No need for any other reason!