Question For The Those That Grew Up In The 80's

[Lady Jaye]

This is asked to those of us that were lucky enough to be around and old enough to collect The Transformers line in the 80's.

 

My question is this, do you remember the stores you would get your Transformers at?? What were they named??? Do they still exist??? And what fond memories, if any, do you have of shopping with your parents????

 

I'm just curious as to what others remember of thier childhood. I know I still remember a lot of the stores that I got my figures at. And for several of my figures, I can give you an exact store of where I got them from, can anyone else do the same???

[Dark Gundam]

The stores I used to go to

 

BEST

Bradlee's

Ames

GC Murphy and Woolworths

none of which are still open, and

TRU

KMart

[freakx2001]

Hey,

 

yeah, I can remember several trips to the local Canadian K-Mart, finding rows and rows of GI Joe figures / vehicles.

[THE KING]

kmart man they used to rock

[Lady Jaye]

Any good stories to tell???

 

I remember once when my mom had taken me to the doctor and I think they gave me some shots. Well I was a lil stinker, becuase of being such a good lil gilr at the doctors, I asked if we could go to Sears by my house to pick out a toy. Of course mom said yes, and that's where from behind a glass case, which is where they put the Transformers, I picked out the most unique of the Jets, Starscream, the Air Commander!!!!

 

And ever since then, he has been my favorite. He was unique among the others becuase of color, and his file card. He was their leader and most sneaky of them all. Always wanting to take over!!!!

[scrapperboy]

I grew up on a little island, we had three toy shops. I remember going to them shops and pick up every box to stare at the toys. I still fondly remember one of the shops had Jetfire. Back then that was so unreachable. Wich reminds me, I still need to find a nice minty MIB Jetfire.

[Silverbolt]

You obviously haven't seen all the colors of the seekers I have, Screamer looks plain in comparision.

 

As for myself. Didn't really buy any TF figures as a kid, most were presents, I was a GI Joe collector then, mainly because they were cheaper and there was a better chance you could get one when you hit the store and they had more play value and could take more punishment.

 

Most of the ones that I got were purchased at Hearts, which I think is what the Ames stores were called in this area prior to being Ames. That store had a kick butt toy section, puts all the ones that I've seen since to shame, nicely stocked and plenty of figures. Sadly it closed years ago, and is now a Farm Fleet/Tractor Supply store. Which also had a nice toy selection only around X-mas though.

[Prowl]

In Canada:

 

TRU

Toy City

Woolco

 

In Hong Kong:

 

TRU

Watson's

Wing Wah Toys - where I bought most of my TF's when I was a kid

[GaZ]

Cant remember. Probably Woolworths, Zodiac and Jolly Green Giant. TRU hadn't hit UK shores yet.

 

Nowadays, it's Woolworths, Forbidden Planet, The Entertainer, TRU, Epicheroes, HLJ and eBay

[DPrime]

There were tons of stores back then where you could get them. For Transformers, it was mostly Sears, Toys and Wheels, TRU (sometimes - it was out of town), K-Mart or Zellers.

 

TONS. Everywhere had everything, almost.

[OneTrueBlue]

I got some of my Transformers as presents, but I remember seeing them at tons of stores. My favorites were Sears, Kmart, TRU, Kiddie City, Childrens Palace, Ames and Hills. Now only 3 of those still exist. I got Silverbolt, Nosecone, Kickback and ultra magnus at kiddie City. The rest I had were presents. I remember getting ultra magnus for my birthday in 87 I believe. I waited all through evening mass, and off we went to Kiddie city to buy him. The ride took an eternity, but was only 25 minutes or so, however when you're young it seems like forever. We get there and I see magnus. I wasn't sure if my parents would buy him, because he was like $30.00, but they happily agreed. It was the plastic version, but man I still loved him. If only I could go back and time and just walk the aisles again......

[Nocturno]

Payless, Toys R Us, Woolworth, Flea Market...

[obiprime]

I got my TF fix on the black market. I funded these dark alley transactions to buy Transformers by selling my Gijoes! I got those GiJoes by selling my Starwars.

[Starscream49]

Toy castle

Toy Palace

Toys R Us

Best

Roses

 

 

I have so many stories. I remember when a new series came out I would steal the inserts just so I could see all the new guys.

[computron]

i remember walmart and kmart..thats where my parents always go to shop so thats where i get my toys

[Starscream49]

I used to hate/love all the energy that flowed through me when I found I new one. I literly felt as though I could run home faster. Just sitting in traffic killed me.

[ponn]

Kmart, TRU, Kaybee. In fact I lived in such a backwoods town we had to drive two towns away to get too a kmart and TRU and that was only once every other month on a weekend. Man that was the best, I miss being that excited by a weekend and being that excited to find shelves and shelves of transformers and having to decide between which one I want. And back then remember there was no internet or keeping track of when a toy was coming out or for that matter what was coming out except for those cool toy check lists/posters. I remember finding Scorponok on the shelf in Kmart and being so bummed because I knew I would never find him again and he was so expensive. And then that burst of emotion as your parents know you are bummed out and they say those magic words "Fine go get it but you are not getting anything else for a couple months"

 

Sorry about the flashback. It's coming up on the holidays and I get that way.

[Destro]

tru and kmart for me. I remember my parents' baby-sitting device was telling me I could have a gijoe figure, knowing I'd be at that endcap making my decision the entire time they were shopping.

[grand theft autobot]

I guess I only had Child's World by me. That was a good sized toystore. They had a panda as a mascot.

 

I also remember some store called TSW...Toy Store Warehouse. Not as nice as Child's World, but still good.

 

Sears had toys too...plus Caldors.

[Rattrrap Primal]

In the 80's: Bradlees/Montgomery Wards, Best, TRU, Kay-Bee, Discount Harry's (NJ/Pensauken region discount store, known to have older lines for years)

 

Today: TRU, Target, Wal-Mart, Kay-Bee (if I have no other options, they're expensive) K-Mart (sometimes)

[Rattrrap Primal]

and Kiddie City (they shut down a few years before I got my liscence, slag!)

[pogoman]

80's:

 

sears

bradlees

caldor

tru

[darthfather2005]

I had a Dime Store up the street from my house called "Nagels." It is still in business. I rember he had a bunch of the Autobot cars, so when all the other stores were sold out, he had a few. I bought Hoist and Ratchet from him. I still remember it was on two different occasions. I knew he charged more than he should for them (I think an extra 5 bucks each witch was alot back then when I was Seven) but they were they only place I could find the origninal cars at that time- 1986. I also got Bombshell from him later on, who is still my favorite insecticon.

 

I also remember Childeren's Palace. I got all kinds of good stuff from there. I even remember the Christmas right after the movie came out my Dad took me up there to pick out what I wanted for Christmas. I grabbed Ultra Magnus, Target Master Blurr, and Kup. Also we snagged the last Galvatron on the Shelf, he was opened but looked okay. Later on at Christmas I found out someone stole the stickers, but I did not care. I Finally had THE LEADER OF THE DECEPTICONS!!! Finally my Prime could fight an decepticon leader. Also my Optimus was a hand me down form my sisters boyfriend, and he had everything but his friggen fists! So I used the small fists from Ultra Magnus to replace the missing prime fists. <--- Good Memories...

[Lady Jaye]

Kmart, TRU, Kaybee. In fact I lived in such a backwoods town we had to drive two towns away to get too a kmart and TRU and that was only once every other month on a weekend. Man that was the best, I miss being that excited by a weekend and being that excited to find shelves and shelves of transformers and having to decide between which one I want. And back then remember there was no internet or keeping track of when a toy was coming out or for that matter what was coming out except for those cool toy check lists/posters. I remember finding Scorponok on the shelf in Kmart and being so bummed because I knew I would never find him again and he was so expensive. And then that burst of emotion as your parents know you are bummed out and they say those magic words "Fine go get it but you are not getting anything else for a couple months"

 

Sorry about the flashback. It's coming up on the holidays and I get that way.

Those are the kind of stories I love to hear. That was awesome!!!! Do ya still have Scorponok???

 

I tell yea Road Trips were always a way for me to get a trip to Wal Mart becuase back then they were only in small towns, back before the conquest of the world!!!!! So most times I would be able to make out with some toy!!!!!

 

I'm sure you guys know, but I have this same thread in the comics, GI JOE & MOTU thread. Go post your awesome stories over there too!!!! Like I said I love re-living the 80's in any way shape or form. It was the greatest decade to be a kid!!! Like my friend says, my theme song is the TRU Theme Song; I don't want to grow up I'm a Toys R Us kid!!!

 

Oh yea back then we never knew when things were coming out, only when we walk into the aisle and got the biggest surprise ever!!!! Know what I mean, and if we got one we get that brand new catalog that shows us what is out that year!!! Now those are memories I will always have!!!!!

[Rick Hunter Skull Leader]

Caldor

TRU

Kmart

Bradlees

Alpha beta(which became abco and no is dead)