Keeping kids off the street with top-notch toys and games.

The expiration date on toys can come up fast. A recently procured Let’s Rock Elmo drum kit, for example, could become hopelessly obsolete on the ride home from the store. Playthings bought at big-box joints are especially prone to the syndrome because there’s little guidance available—sure, the floorwalker can tell you if there’s another one in purple in the back, but won’t know much more than how to tear off the shrink wrap.

By contrast, the independent toy store—a retail format that endures in the East Bay—is all about customer care. In anticipation of the holiday gift-giving season (apparently it’s next month), I set out to explore a few of the East Bay’s standout venues—for once, without the assistance (or would that be hindrance?) of my 11-year-old daughter.

The classic

Roll up to the Mr. Mopps’ storefront on Martin Luther King Jr. Way in North Berkeley, and the heavily tinted windows can give the impression that the place is closed. Step inside, though—if the door on the far right side is ajar, the 49-year-old toy palace is open—and enter a time warp back to a boomer childhood.

The focus here is on toys that inspire creativity. “If you give a kid a Sponge Bob Square Pants doll, they’re just going to play Sponge Bob Square Pants,” says cherubic co-owner Devin McDonald, who grew up near the store and has fond memories of scoring the classic Slinky there. “If he [Sponge Bob] had been around when I was a kid my parents would have just given me a sponge.”

Not long ago, though, Mr. Mopps’ would have had trouble selling a kid a limp dish rag, much less a sponge. After 48 years, the original owner, Eugene Yamashita, wanted to retire but was having trouble finding a buyer. Some say he wanted too much and that the store was a little run down. In any event, hearing that his childhood haunt was in jeopardy, McDonald and his longtime partner, Jenny Stevenson, came to the rescue in October 2010 and struck a deal.

Since then, they’ve brightened the place up with a spiffy beige and light-blue paint job that gives the vast, one-room space a homey, lived-in feel. Now McDonald, the son of Berkeley folk musician and Woodstocker Country Joe McDonald, and the grandson of former Berkeley City Councilwoman Florence McDonald, is planning a 50th birthday celebration for the store next April.

Laid out IKEA labyrinth-style, the Mr. Mopps’ floor plan silently encourages customers to walk through most of the store (though there’s little chance of acquiring a plate of Swedish meatballs on the way). Just east of the cash register, you can rummage among rows of open boxes containing cheap, charming gems like a plastic spinning top (39 cents), dinky plastic boats (65 cents), and mini-bracelets filled with liquid and glitter (75 cents). Popular with parents in search of party favors, the selection changes regularly.

Another section of the cavernous store is devoted to high-tech toys like the world’s smallest set of walkie-talkies and remote control cars including the demolition derby variety that, as the box states, “come unhinged on impact.” There’s a book lounge with a comfy green chair for the dad who needs to take a load off, scads of DIY kits (make-your-own root beer; make-your-own volcano), handmade dolls and dollhouses (one exquisite miniature dwelling sells for $400), and plenty of those prerequisite German-made plastic animal miniatures. What is it with the Germans and their love for little plastic zebras? You can also ogle tricycles, scooters, and other wheeled toys.

For McDonald, who has no previous retail experience, manning Mr. Mopps’ means he doesn’t have to give up the playthings he field-tested during his former career—a 15-year stint as a nanny. During the holiday season only, he and Stevenson stock mass-market and licensed toys depicting TV or movie characters for shoppers who want them. But, says McDonald, “We try to do ecological and economical. We don’t want to be a Toys R Us or an expensive toy boutique. I don’t want to exclude any customers.”

The aesthete

Amid the high-end shopping paradise that is Berkeley’s Fourth Street, a toy store could seem a little out of place. Or not: A quick glance at the Ark’s merchandise, some of it exquisitely crafted by hand, reveals that the emporium is in touch with the needs of a discerning clientele clamoring for quality goods.

That’s incredible: The Hulk at Komodo Toys in Oakland. Photo by Nick Lostracco, www.lostracco.com.

Part of a three-store chain (the two others are in San Francisco), the Ark actually looks a little vessel-like inside. And in fact, the place carries some merchandise so old-world that it just might have gone along on Noah’s ride. An emphasis on artisan wooden toys makes the store a favorite of Waldorf school parents, who are honor-bound to prevent their kids from playing with plastic. “An alternative to what’s out there,” says six-year veteran employee Brittany Wilkey, describing the Ark’s wares.

But even lapsed Waldorfians (“Jack” Waldorfians, we call ’em at my house) can assuage their guilt over picking up an adorable plastic cookware set at the Ark. At least it’ll be made from recycled milk jugs, as are all the toys in the “Green Toys” line sold at the store.

Afloat on the Ark’s main floor, you’ll find, among other alluring objects, the aforementioned lovingly crafted wares, dolls, and plenty of dress-ups (with a mirror thoughtfully provided so young shoppers can check out how the Jr. Astronaut helmet coordinates with skinny jeans and a hoodie). Upstairs (“the loft,” in Ark parlance) skews a little older: kits, books, and games. The store aims to carry as few licensed products as possible—sorry, Buzz Lightyear, maybe Tom Hanks can buy you a timeshare in the Bahamas—and seems to live up to this pledge. On my visit, the only tie-ins on display consisted of a lonely shelf of plastic Smurf characters going for $4.99 apiece. Despite their cuteness, I resisted buying an armload to pass out to friends. Harder to ignore were crayons made from beeswax (and therefore not the least bit toxic if your toddler should decide to munch one down).

Before any item hits the deck at the Ark, it has to be tested by a third-party laboratory for PCBs or phthalates—agents used to soften plastics. Many studies show that exposure to these chemicals can cause hormonal problems for women and infertility in men. California has already banned the sale of toys that contain phthalates (so far, it’s the only state to do so), but nonetheless the Ark takes this extra step.

If chemicals aren’t your thing (or your child’s), be sure to look for items that carry the rounded CE mark on the packaging. This indicates the toy has been tested to meet the European Community standard (higher than the American standard) for safety.

College prep

Occupying four entire storefronts on College Avenue in Oakland’s thriving Rockridge district, the recently expanded Rockridge Kids is reminiscent of Lullaby Lane, the downtown San Bruno baby emporium that closed earlier this year after 64 years—except that this store is still going strong.

All crossing the threshold, be advised: You are entering a little kid zone. Beware of tantrums, terminal cuteness, and the sudden urge to acquire additional offspring that you can buy adorable stuff for. Unless you’re W.C. Fields, you’ll feel the love as you wander among tidy aisles teeming with Groovy Girls dolls, science and art kits, books, costumes, musical instruments, hula hoops, wooden Skuut bikes that Junior can push along while walking with feet safely on the ground (apparently this simulates what it’s like to actually ride a bike), and quite possibly the most extensive collection of Thomas the Tank engine accessories in the known universe. There are also, of course, bins of animal miniatures.

As for wallet impact, customers brandishing iPhones regularly suss out a lower price on Amazon or another website and ask longtime owner Nishan Shepard to match it. “We do match any Internet price by giving a gift card to our store for the difference. Most of the time our customers are completely happy with this policy,” says Shepard, who believes that toy shoppers value the kind of personal, face-to-face service they get at Rockridge Kids. “You can’t bring a kid into Amazon and let them play with the trains uninterrupted,” he says.

If the kid on your list isn’t quite so junior, venture north on College Avenue into Berkeley’s Elmwood district and the land of Sweet Dreams. Exclusively a candy store when it opened its doors more than 30 years ago, Sweet Dreams now occupies two College Avenue storefronts—one still devoted to sweets, as well as gifts and clothing. For serious toy shoppers, though, the storefront just a couple of doors south of the candy haven is what you’re after. You’ll find board games, hobby horses, Playmobil and Lego sets, magic and science kits, costumes and masks, super balls, quirky window displays—and yes, miniature animals. If you’re headed through the tunnel, check out the Orinda location, which carries candy and toys, next to the Orinda Theatre.

Game on

For the game gamer, there’s no place like Games of Berkeley. At this corner store in bustling downtown Berkeley, just across from BART, connoisseurs will find treasures like a solid oak chess board ($169), card sets in gleaming stainless steel cases, Go stones, cribbage boards, and the latest iteration of every boxed game you can imagine (including 30 variations of Monopoly).

Go ahead, ask a staff mem-ber to explain the origins of Mancala, or tell you the difference between two editions of The Settlers of Catan. These people work for their paychecks and, says Janet Winter, co-owner of the store with husband Michael Sloan, “will engage with you.” In fact, they kind of have to—according to Winter, “a certain amount of game knowledge” is a prerequisite for employment.

Delightful as it is to visit a venue staffed entirely by game freaks, Games of Berkeley has more going for it than oddball appeal. Unlike many proprietors, Winter and Sloan understand the magic of shelf space. With most titles stacked on their sides instead of face front, there’s room for a large, eclectic inventory. The store also offers an action-inspiring array of sports equipment like ping pong paddles, dart boards, skateboard wheels, and disc golf supplies. About the only thing Games of Berkeley doesn’t sell is video games—according to Winter, it’s more challenging to face off against a living, breathing opponent than a plugged-in one.

And speaking of competition, try the scene downstairs, where tournaments of games like Dungeons and Dragons, Magic, the Gathering, and Go take place in a speakeasy-like atmosphere every blessed day of the week. If you don’t believe me, check the website. You could even unravel the enduring mysteries of bridge there—just don’t ask me to come along unless there’s going to be plenty of bridge mix.

hree takeaways for the intrepid toy shopper, offered gratis by yours truly. One, shopping independent means you can actually handle the merchandise and get face-to-face advice (who knows, maybe this’ll catch on someday). Two, bring your wallet. Better yet, bring someone else’s wallet. And three, don’t even think of including little Johnny or Joanie in your search for scintillating playthings. Everyone knows it’s just impossible to shop when those pesky kids get involved. l

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Paul Kilduff is the Monthly’s Q&A columnist (“The Kilduff File”) and would really, really, really like one of those mondo Super Soaker squirt guns. But it would be for personal use.

Toyland
The Ark, 1812 Fourth St., Berkeley, (510) 849-1930; thearktoys.com.
Boss Robot Hobby, 2953 College Ave., Berkeley, (510) 841-1680; bossrobothobby.com.
Child’s Play, 5858 College Ave., Oakland, (510) 653-3989; ghosthound.net/childsplay.
Five Little Monkeys, 1224 Solano Ave., Albany, (510) 528-4411; 1366 N. Main St., Walnut Creek, (925) 939-4411; 5littlemonkeys.com.
Games of Berkeley, 2151 Shattuck Ave., Berkeley, (510) 540-7822; gamesofberkeley.com.
Games Unlimited, 800 Sycamore Valley Road, Danville, (925) 838-6358; gamesunlimitedonline.com.
Handlebar Toys, 3631 Mt. Diablo Blvd., Lafayette, (925) 284-4631.
It’s Your Move Games & Hobbies, 4920 Telegraph Ave., Oakland, (510) 547-4386; itsyourmovegames.com.
Komodo Toys, 4004 MacArthur Blvd., Oakland, (510) 482-5921; komodotoys.com.
Montclair Toyhouse, 6115 La Salle Ave., Oakland, (510) 339-9023; montclairtoyhouse.com.
Mr. Mopps’ Children’s Books and Toys, 1405 Martin Luther King Jr. Way, Berkeley, (510) 525-9633; mrmopps.net.
Rockridge Kids, 5511 College Ave., Oakland, (510) 601-5437; rockridgekidsstore.com.
Silver Moon Kids, 3233 Lakeshore Ave., Oakland, (510) 835-2229; facebook.com/pages/silver-moon-kids.
Sweet Dreams Toy Store, 2921 College Ave., Berkeley, (510) 548-8697; Sweet Dreams Candy and Toys, 2 Theatre Square, Orinda, (925) 254-6672; sweetdreamscandyandtoys.com.
Toy Go Round, 1361 Solano Ave., Albany, (510) 527-1363; etoygoround.com.
Toy Symphony, 4050 El Cerrito Plaza, El Cerrito, (510) 526-1288; toysymphony.com.