Pflugerville shop sells nostalgic fun

At merely 7 months old, Toy Time already holds a distinct title among businesses in Plfugerville–it's the city's oldest toy store.

"(Pflugerville) is going toward that 50,000 population mark, and we didn't have a toy store," Toy Time co-owner Rob Sides said, describing the origins of the business. "We figured any great small town needs to have a toy shop and a candy shop."

So to fill that void, Sides, who co-owns the store with his wife, Rachel, opened Toy Time on Dec. 20 in Pflugerville's historic downtown.

Sides didn't have to seek much outside advice to navigate the new business. He is a seasoned toy business veteran, who got his start as a teenager stocking shelves and helping out customers at the now-defunct national toy retailer KB Toys.

After a stint last year as a salesman for a toy import business in South Austin, Sides decided to try out his idea for a specialty toy store in Pflugerville, a city he's called home for more than six years.

"Toy stores have always been in my blood," Sides said. "Now I'm on the other side of the business, retailing, going to the trade shows and things like that."

Offering specialty toys, games, and puzzles as well as a diverse line of candy, Toy Time's typical customers are parents searching for games that combine learning and play, friends and family members seeking out birthday presents or young children just looking for a new toy.

Sides said the shop's biggest sellers are Rody riding horses, which help teach children balancing and coordination. Rows of the brightly colored rubber horses line the top shelves at Toy Time, and a pair of the horses in cowboy gear often greet visitors on the front steps.

Educational toys are a top item at the store, Sides said.

"(Customers) want something that's going to really engage their children, so we try to cater to that," Sides said.

The store also has a treehouse-themed birthday party room and offers a variety of packages for children's parties. Toy Time also provides entertainers, such as a magician, to perform during the party.

But the store isn't just for discerning parents or local children on bikes looking for treats. Toy Time also sells a small line of vintage toys and tongue-in-cheek novelty items such as bacon-flavored toothpaste.

Sides said he tries to cater to everyone.

"Kids can have fun, and parents can have a flashback to their own childhood," Sides said. "My favorite thing is getting to talk to our regulars and seeing kids having a blast here. It's a lot of fun."

Fun for all ages

Toy Time features a variety of novelty and educational-themed toys and more including:

• Science kits
• Children's costumes
• Rideable toys
• Arts and crafts kits
• Building block sets
• Board games
• Outdoor/nature toys

Toy Time, 101-B W. Pecan St., Pflugerville, 990-8697

• Mon.–Sat. 10 a.m.–7 p.m.
• Sun. noon–6 p.m.