Toy Gallery brings fun to kids, parents

Toy Gallery has been a fun and wonderful new addition for children and parents on the Outer Banks.

Jodie Futch has been an owner of Pet Gallery for 11 years, and as time went by she noticed the need for a toy store.

She opened Toy Gallery in June at 1208 S. Croatan Highway in Kill Devil Hills.

“I thought it would be nice to open a toy store next to Pet Gallery that sort of has same customer base”, said Jodie Futch, owner of both Pet Gallery and Toy Gallery.

“We have many customers that have pets and children, and having these two businesses next to each other go hand in hand,” Futch said.

They focus on toys and activity items for toddlers to school age children. There are very few infant toys, such as baby rattles.

“I have a 4-year-old boy who loves toys, and it was something our family was excited about,” Futch said.

The inventory is nicely organized based on the activity and brand.

First to the left is the Lego corner, filled with hundreds of Lego kits for boys and girls. There are many choices in different sizes and themes for everybody’s taste and budget. Prices range from $10 to $100.

Next is a nice collection of backpacks and lunch boxes from Madpax in California.

The spiky bags are in style and most children go crazy for them.

Rackets, firefighter’s water backpack, wooden cars and other little exciting toys are on the left corner from the entry door.

Many wooden cars and blocks to choose from Hape, a well-known German wooden toy company. The prices range from $10 to $250.

On the right side of the entry is a collection of Sesame Street characters and big stuffed animals that children play with while parents shop in the store.

Some girly toys for hair, makeup, teacups can be found on the right side shelf.

In the middle back are science, art, and book sections.

Science has the coolest little projects to make any kid feel smart and special.

Some of the projects make a really cool birthday party activity like make your own bouncy balls, or magic rocks where you watch the crystals grow, wind turbine to generate electricity, or a Smithsonian telescope.

“Moon In My Room”, with light up lunar phases, and “Rainbow In My Room”, are the kind of gadget even the adults can enjoy.

You can find science projects from $7.99 to $200.

The art section is filled with everything a child can possibly need to draw, paint, and color.

Activities such as paint and/or color by numbers, learn to draw, and much more for $5 to $29. The paint, crayons and markers are toxic free.

As per little girls’ requests, Jodie Futch added Hello Kitty items in her store.

Ybikes for balance and explorer are put together and ready for children to try them, and range from $69 to $199.

On the back shelf, there are many wooden puzzles including French art puzzles. Blocks, books, bug nets, and many exciting toys.

“I go to different website and read customers’ reviews before I order anything. I don’t order anything below star 5 because I want to make sure we buy toys that are good quality,” she said.

This store is well above the items you find at Wal-Mart and Kmart.“If you want something neat, you shouldn’t have to drive to Virginia for it,” Futch said.

Children or parents can make wish lists for birthdays or Christmas, the staff will keep track of the list, and wrap gifts for free.

Santa Claus will come to the Toy Gallery for Christmas. Children can visit Santa and play in Toy Gallery supervised by the staff while the parents shop for Christmas presents.

“I would like this to be the kind of store you have fun memories of your childhood,” Futch said.

Besides shopping and playing with toys, there’s story time every Friday at 10 a.m.

Overall this is one store that locals go to buy birthday presents, reward children when they’ve done something successful, explore what’s in the store and play with what’s on the floor.

Toy Gallery is open Monday through Friday 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., Saturday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Sunday 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., and is located at mile post 9 on the bypass in Kill Devil Hills.

Find them on the Internet at OBXToyGallery.com.