Did ya see? No? Here's the Video from Great Day St. Louis!

Tee-hee!  Shawnta' had a ton of fun appearing on Great Day St. Louis yesterday.  If you haven't seen it already, here's the video:




Later today I'll post additional information about the items featured in the video.  Including more about the Lightning Reaction game!  Insert evil giggling here.

Candy Buy Back starts tomorrow (10/31/11)

So it happens almost every year...  the kiddos are looking at their monstrous haul of candy, you add it to the left-overs that didn't get passed out to trick or treaters, and you realize:  Egads.  That is an alarming amount of candy. 

So here's our plan to help you out of this sugary mess:  A candy buy back at Once Upon a Toy and both LagoonaMagoo Toys locations.  Starting on 10/31, bring us at least One lb of candy, and we'll give you a $10 gift certificate (this offer is limited to one per family).

What are we going to do with all that sweet stuff?
We're going to pack it off to the wonderful people at Operation Gratitude, who will in turn send it (along with other items like toothbrushes!) to troops serving in dangerous places around the world. 

Our Candy Buy Back will run Monday, Oct. 31st through Sunday, Nov. 6th, 2011.

So pass the word and then pass us your candy!

Kindermusik Jam Session at Once Upon a Toy!

You're invited!  Come play and make some joyful noise with us and instructor Ellen Singh on Wed., Jan. 5th at 10am.  This is a great opportunity to learn about Kindermusik and early childhood music exploration in a casual and hands-on situation.  Designed for ages birth to 5 years old, Ellen will guide parents and children in musical mayhem!  Reservations are great, but not required.  For more information or to let us know you're coming, call Once Upon a Toy at (618) 656-9596. 

For more information about Kindermusic (and it's close cousin the Suzuki method) visit SIU-E's website describing their program:  http://www.siue.edu/artsandsciences/music/suzuki/kindermusik.shtml

Ellen Singh also has a facebook page here:  http://www.facebook.com/pages/SIUE-Presents-Kindermusik-with-Ellen-Singh/102535473116447

If you aren't in our area and would like to find out more about kindermusik and find a class/event near you, visit the kindermusik website here:  http://www.kindermusik.com/default.aspx

Bring your little ones and lets make some noise!

Visit Santa & his Reindeer!

Santa and Vixen outside of LagoonaMagoo Toys, Fairview Heights.
Photo credit: Derik Holtmann/BND

If you haven't had a chance to visit Santa yet, come see him in one of our Illinois stores' parking lots.  Not only do you get a chance to talk to him, but you can meet his reindeer and sit in his sleigh, too!  Way too cool.  Definitely makes me want to stay off the Naughty List!

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Friday, December 10, 2010
 - 3pm - 8pm
LagoonaMagoo Toys, Fairview Heights
6308 N. Illinois (aka Hwy 159)
Fairview Heights, IL  62208
(618) 628-9270

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Tuesday, December 14, 2010
 - 3pm - 8pm
Wednesday, December 15, 2010
 - 3pm - 8pm
Once Upon a Toy
2460 Troy Rd
Edwardsville, IL  62025
(618) 656-9596

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Shawnta' On TV!

If you missed it, you can see Shawnta' on KMOV's Great Day St. Louis!  She's showing some of the cool toys and gifts for the holiday season:

Black Friday & Extended Holiday Hours

The holiday shopping season is starting to get rolling--  Our stores will be closed on Thanksgiving Day.  We'll be opening early on Black Friday, with one-day only sale prices on selected items!

LagoonaMagoo Toys
at the St. Louis Mills - Hazelwood, MO:

Opening Early on Black Friday (11/26)! 7am - 9pm
Sat., Nov. 27: 9am - 10pm
Sun., Nov. 28: 11am - 7pm

Don't forget to visit Santa while you're here!
For additional holiday hours, please visit the St. Louis Mills website.

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Once Upon a Toy,
Edwardsville, IL:

Opening Early on Black Friday (11/26)! 8am - 8pm
Extended Holiday Hours: 
Mon. - Sat.: 9am - 8pm

Reindeer Schedule coming soon!

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LagoonaMagoo Toys,
Fairview Heights, IL:

Opening Early on Black Friday (11/26)! 7am - 9pm
Extended Holiday Hours: 
Mon. - Sat.: 9am - 8pm
Open Sundays! 10am - 6pm

Reindeer will be here, too--  We'll let you know when!

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Hmmm?  Wazzat?  You're wondering what sort of specials will be happening on Black Friday?  This is just a sampling!

As always, our helpful crew of toy experts will be standing by to help you find something for everyone on your gift list!



Once Upon a Toy & LagoonaMagoo Toys Neighborhood Toy Store Day Plans!

Plotting...  Planning...  All we need is you to make it a party!  Here are the events we've cooked up for Neighborhood Toy Store Day on Nov. 13, 2010

LagoonaMagoo Toys at the St. Louis Mills:
10% of sales on Saturday, November 13, will be donated in toys to Toys for Tots.  Start your Holiday shopping early and pay some joy forward.  And Cody Cassiday, a seriously talented Yo-Yo Dude, will be by to amaze and thrill us with his yo-yo tricks from 2pm - 6pm.  We’ll also have free face painting throughout the day (call the St. Louis Mills LagoonaMagoo Toys at (314) 227-5335 for exact times)

Once Upon a Toy in Edwardsville, IL:
It’s a Giant Rubber Chicken!  In our Parking Lot!  Come get a picture taken with our infamous Giant Chicky from 10am - noon.  Rope n’ Ride, from Granite City, IL, will bring Ponies to the party from 1pm - 3pm.  Cody Cassiday, our favorite Yo-Yo Dude, will also be appearing at Once Upon a Toy from 10am - 1pm.  And can’t forget the face painting--  that will be happening from 11am - 4pm.

LagoonaMagoo Toys in Fairview Heights, IL:
Ponies!  We’re going to have ponies (thanks to Rope n’ Ride!) for your kiddos to meet from 11am - 3pm.  The Giant Rubber Chicken will migrate from Edwardsville to Fairview Heights for photos with your favorite goofballs starting around 1pm - 4pm.  Face painting will also be happening from 11am - 4pm.

We're looking forward to seeing everyone on Saturday for Neighborhood Toy Store Day!

Join us in celebrating Neighborhood Toy Store Day!

What, you may be wondering, is Neighborhood Toy Store Day? Good question. I knew our readers were smart people!

Neighborhood Toy Store Day is a nation-wide event dreamed up by the member stores of ASTRA, the American Specialty Toy Retailing Association. The idea is to celebrate independently owned and locally operated toy stores as well as bring attention to the contributions these businesses make to our local communities.

When you choose to shop at locally owned businesses, a higher percentage of your money stays in the community. According to the 3/50 project (read about that in an earlier blog post here: The 3/50 Project) for every $100 spent in a locally owned business, $68 of it remains in the community. This money stays in the form of paid taxes, wages for workers, purchases of supplies and services, as well as charitable donations. This is one of the reasons Mom & Pop businesses are considered the key and lifeblood of our economy. When small businesses thrive, our communities do, too.

So that’s an awful lot of grown-up seriousness happening in that paragraph. What about the infamous Happy Up silliness? Where does that factor in? Glad you asked that! Like all other ASTRA member stores, LagoonaMagoo Toys and Once Upon a Toy are completely committed to seeing children thrive. By offering unique, amazing, imaginative, and creative toys to our customers, we help children grow into unique, amazing, imaginative, and creative grown-ups. By encouraging and supporting the idea of play for people of all ages, we create laughter and lighter spirits. And who doesn’t want more of that in the world?

So Celebrate individuality, silliness, playfulness, and what makes your world unique with your favorite toy store on Saturday, Nov. 13, 2010 and be a part of the first ever Neighborhood Toy Store Day!

You can read more about the event here:  http://neighborhoodtoystoreday.com/

PS--  watch this space for the schedule of events for Toy Store Day at both LagoonaMagoo Toys and Once Upon a Toy!

Come to the Party!

If you haven't heard yet, the dates for our trading parties are set!  All parties start at 6:30pm and last until 8pm. For more information or to RSVP (appreciated, but not required), just call your favorite Happy Up store!

June 17:
Once Upon a Toy in Edwardsville, IL
(618) 656-9596

June 24:
LagoonaMagoo Toys in Fairview Heights, IL
(618) 628-9270

July 1:
LagoonaMagoo Toys at the St. Louis Mills Mall, MO
(314) 227-5335

Email invites went out on Friday. Did you get yours? What? You aren't on our email list? It's easy to subscribe using the box in the sidebar. hint hint. If you're interested to see the email, you can find it here: It's a Party at Once Upon a Toy and LagoonaMagoo Toys!

Jaelyn Jamik, the St. Louis Children's Recreation Examiner gave Silly Bandz & Japanese Erasers (and our parties!) a nice little write up. You can read her article here: Silly Bandz and Iwako Japanese Erasers are all the rage: Kids, wanna trade?

So we'll see you at one of the parties, right?

Japanese Erasers: Collectible? Yep. Inexpensive? Yep. Crazy Cool? You Betcha!

What is adorable, collectible, and incredibly small?  Japanese Erasers!  These amazingly detailed miniatures are the latest collectible craze.  From food items that look good enough to eat (please don't!) to animals so cute you can hardly resist cuddling them, these erasers are capturing the attention of children and adults around the globe.  Many of the erasers can be customized by taking them apart and swapping pieces with others of the same style.  This is one case where a picture is worth a thousand words--

In fact, instead of reading my babble, spend some time feasting your eyes on these fabulous little gems:

Cakes - Fast Food Meal - Bowling

Basketballs - Cherries - Horses

Made in Japan, these erasers are non-toxic--  they're lead-free, pvc-free, latex-free, and phthalate-free.  They're also packaged using recyled materials.  Yep, that's your recycled post-consumer paper-products at work!  And unlike many of the collectible trends out there, japanese erasers are also incredibly easy on the wallet.

To see a poster of all the styles available, Click Here.

If you want to see and learn more about the erasers, visit the manufacturer's website at  www.iwakousa.com

Watch your email boxes for an invitation to our first ever Eraser and Shaped Rubber Band Trading Parties!  If you're not on our email list yet, now is a great time to subscribe.  Just use the handy box in the sidebar. 

ps:  watch your favorite Happy Up store for stickers designed to match the erasers!  Hamster cuteness overload! 

pps:  Blog post about Shaped Rubber Bands coming soon!

Shake the Winter Blahs!

Personally?  I'm *desperately* tired of these gray, rainy, foggy, what-happened-to-the-sun kinds of days!  So if we can't have the sun, I'll take sunny dispositions and light-hearted fun!  To help make that happen, your favorite toys stores (LagoonaMagoo & Once Upon a Toy) are having a surprise sale this weekend. 

Starting on Friday, Jan. 22 (gasp!  hey!  that's today!) and continuing on Saturday, Jan. 23, you'll find discounts and deals store wide.  LagoonaMagoo at St. Louis Mills will be offering the sale prices on Sunday, too.  Don't wait, 'cause regular prices return on Monday, Jan. 25!

Of special note:  Extra deep discounts on all Mighty World play sets & vehicles still on our shelves!
We're making space for new toys, so Mighty World has got to go.  Get them while you can!

See ya this weekend!

2009 Reindeer Visits!

LagoonaMagoo Toys in Fairview Heights
will have Reindeer Visitors from
2pm - 8pm
on the following dates:
Dec. 14 & 15

Once Upon a Toy in Edwardsville, IL
Will also host the Reindeer from
2 - 8pm:
Dec. 9 & 10


Hope you'll come visit us, too!

LagoonaMagoo & Once Upon a Toy Holiday Hours

LagoonaMagoo Toys at the St. Louis Mills Mall Extended Holiday Hours:
Fri., Nov. 27 & Sat., Nov. 28: 8am - 9pm
We will be open on Sundays beginning on Sun., Nov. 29!
Nov. 30 - Dec. 11:
Mon. - Sat.: 10am - 9pm;
Sun.: 11am - 7pm
Saturday, Dec. 12: 9am - 10pm
Sunday, Dec. 13: 11am - 7pm
Dec. 14 - 23:
Mon. - Sat.: 9am - 10pm;
Sun.: 11am - 8pm
Christmas Eve: 9am - 6pm

LagoonaMagoo Toys in Fairview Heights, IL
will be open 8am to 8pm on Friday, Nov. 27th!
Starting Sunday, Nov. 29, we will be open on
Sundays from 10am - 6pm!
Christmas Eve: 10am - 6pm

Once Upon a Toy in Edwardsville, IL
will be open 8am to 8pm on Friday, Nov. 27th!
Starting Monday, Nov. 30, our hours will become:
Mon. - Sat.: 9am - 8pm
Christmas Eve: 9am - 4pm

The Cockroaches are Marching!

NO! Don't Squish Them! It's your favorite Toy Store People! Not creepy costumed cockroaches!

Ok.  So they *are* costumed cockroaches.  But they aren't creepy, they're creative!  While Once Upon a Toy may be the home of the $.35 Cockroach, these folks are worth Wayyy more than that!  In fact, when they help you find that perfect gift, they're priceless!

Once Upon a Toy celebrated Halloween by scurrying through downtown Edwardsville as part of the 2009 Halloween parade.  This year, there were over 100 entries that included floats, marching bands, and local civic groups.  While other floats pelted the crowd with candy, our band of bugs flung bouncy balls and teensy insects.  We hear the cockroaches were in high demand.  And are now being used to freak out unsuspecting family members.  Like your mom.  Who tends to shriek if she sees it on the counter.

Candy is gone in a flash.  Practical Jokes last forever!  Next time you're in one of our stores, remember to ask to see the critters that can cause a loved one to freak!

Welcome to Our New Blog!

For those who were following our old blog, ToyStoreGossip, we're thrilled you've found your way here!

Follow us for the full scoop & news about Once Upon a Toy, Lagoona Magoo, and other playful things that catch our fancy!